Bella's Second Chance
by jayhawkbb
Summary: Widowed Bella realizes she needs to get some fun back in her life. When fate throws an old love in her path, will she take the second chance she's been given? ExB, A/H, rated M for language and eventual lemons
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight or any of its characters. No copyright infringement is intended. If I did own Twilight, I would never do laundry again.**

_You sit there in your heartache  
__Waiting on some beautiful boy to  
__To save you from your old ways  
__You play forgiveness  
__Watch him now, here he comes_

_****_

"F. S. D.," I mumble under my breath. I don't curse in the house unless I'm alone. I reach down and pick up the source of my pain, clenching it tightly in my fist and hopping on one foot while rubbing the pain from the arch of my other foot.

I inhale sharply, preparing to call out for the two knuckleheads who I know are responsible for this. They are constantly leaving this stuff lying around. Why are there so many pieces of this shit?

I exhale shakily, remembering that the knuckleheads are gone. Suddenly, my eyes fill with tears of remorse for thinking of them as knuckleheads. They do have that pesky Y chromosome, which probably means that they will eventually act like idiots at least part of the time, but, for now, they are just my babies.

Why does the house feel so empty without them? Shouldn't I be rejoicing that I have a few days of peace and quiet? A few days where I can do my own thing?

"Get it together, Swan. It's only for eight days." Great. It's been six hours since they left and I'm already talking to myself. Out loud. And crying. Bella Swan does not cry.

Then, looking down at the handful of plastic I am still grasping, and thinking of my solo status in the house for the next few days, I scream at the top of my lungs, "Fuck! Shit! Damn! I fucking hate fucking Legos!"

I cringe as I hear the husky chuckle from the patio door and roll my eyes at the easily identified intruder. It's my back door neighbor. Wait, that sounds gross. It's my neighbor whose house is behind mine and who frequently comes unannounced through my back patio door.

Without even turning around, I ask angrily, "What the _fuck_ are you doing here?"

****

I whip around to glare at my neighbor, irritation coursing through me at being caught yelling, cursing, and teary.

"Hey, simmer down, Bells. I just thought you might need a little Afternoon Delight to cheer you up. I know how hard this week is for you."

"What?" I screech. Yes, screech. There's no other way to describe the high-pitched sound that comes out of my mouth. I am _so_ great with the snappy comebacks.

"Afternoon Delight, Bella. Take it. It's just for you." Another husky chuckle accompanies this statement. I feel the blush I despise, but for which I'm famous, begin to heat my cheeks.

"Angela, what the hell are you talking about? Did you bring a guy here?" Again with the screeching. I sound like an uptight harpy. Actually, I sound like an uptight harpy's fingernails as she scrapes them down a chalkboard.

Angela shoves a cold metal cup into my hand, laughing. "Well, well, didn't take long for your mind to go straight into the gutter, did it? Seriously, girl, we need to get your body caught up with your mind. In fact, I will make it my personal project for the week." She waggles her eyebrows at me.

"Angela, you may be my best friend, but you are also my employee, and I do not want my employees involved in my sex life. And what the hell is in this cup? Because it smells amazing!"

"I told you. It's Afternoon Delight – in a cup. With a straw. If I had a cute little umbrella, I would have put that in too, because it's so fucking good it deserves to be decorated. Rum, ice cream; that's all you need to know. Drink up, sister, because I have had it with this mopey-ass brattitude you get every summer when your three little monsters disappear for a week. Now, before you get your panties in a twist, you know I don't really think they're monsters. I couldn't love those kids more if they were mine. In fact, if they were mine, I probably wouldn't love them this much, 'cause the best part of being "Auntie Angie" is that I can feed them junk food, take them to do fun stuff and then drop them off back at home. Damn, Bells, slow down on that drink or you'll be drunk before I can tell you about my brilliant plan." I swear she said all of that without taking a breath.

I am only half-listening. I am distracted by the party in my mouth. But I distinctly heard her say _I_ had a brattitude (a word I am sure she picked up from my daughter) and that _she_ had a plan. Angela's plans are never good news for me. And any plan she declares is brilliant is a plan I'm sure should scare the bejeezus out of me.

"Ang, this is the yummiest thing I've had in my mouth forever. Shut it! No comments from you are necessary." I laugh at her when she snaps her mouth shut. "And I think since I'm 33, I'm officially too old to have a 'brattitude'. You've been hanging around Sophie too much if you're picking up the 10-year-olds' slang. One more thing while you're still stunned into silence, I will have nothing to do with any of your brilliant plans. The last time you had a brilliant plan, I got felt up by a 24-year-old who told me not to be ashamed of my body when I wouldn't take my shirt off ten minutes after we met. Remember? I will run naked through the streets before I get sucked into another of your plans from hell."

"Well, there's the snappy girl I love. I knew she was in there somewhere. And the first part of my brilliant plan has already been achieved, so it's too late to back out now. What was that about running through the streets naked? I'm sure we can work that into the plan, if you insist. Operation Get Bella Laid This Week is moving to Objective #2."

"What was Objective #1? Sneak into Bella's house with yummy alcohol?" I smirk.

"Sorta. It was more like distract mopey, control freak Bella with rum and ice cream so that fun Bella can come out to play this week. And by play, I mean let someone play with Lily so you can finally get a little sexual healing and rejoin the party that is life."

"Who's Wiwy?" I ask, with my mouth full of rummy ice cream goodness.

"You know, your Lily." She answers, completely exasperated with me. "Your flower, your secret garden, your jayjay. I just think Lily is a nicer way to talk about her."

Luckily I have swallowed my Afternoon Delight. It would have been spit all over my kitchen counter otherwise.

"I have tried dating, Angela. There just aren't any good ones left out there that aren't old or taken or still living with their mommies. I haven't found one guy in the last two years that I could have an intelligent conversation with AND to whom I was remotely attracted."

"Dating? Did I say dating? No, I said laid. You need some good lovin'. You're beautiful, smart, rich….the right relationship guy will come along eventually for you. For now, you need some fun, no-strings sex so that poor Lily doesn't wither up and die down there. A Sex God to remind you and Lily why we go to the trouble of fixing ourselves up on a daily basis. Seriously, Bella, how long has it been for you two?"

I sigh, then shudder, then sigh again.

"First of all, you are creeping me out by talking about 'Lily' like she's her own person, or one of my multiple personalities or something. Now I'm creeping myself out. Ugh! Second, you know that there hasn't been anyone since Marcus; you ask me almost every week. He's been dead for three years, so you do the math. You are the CFO of my company, so it shouldn't be too difficult for you." I retort, then feel badly for talking to her harshly.

"Snarkella, you are making Objective #2 almost as easy as Objective #1 to achieve. You will be working your way up from snarky to hot and bothered in no time," she laughs. "I know there hasn't been anyone since Marcus and I know exactly how long he's been gone. I also know that you hadn't been sleeping together for awhile even before he got sick. So, what I'm asking is, how long really? How long has it been since Lily has entertained a _human_ visitor?"

"Almost five years, okay?" Oh. I'm screeching again. And crying. And still drinking my Afternoon Delight. I'm definitely going to need another one of these drinks if she's going to keep hounding me about my sex life.

She quickly pulls me into a hug and drags me to the leather sofa. I sniffle loudly, then slurp up the last of my drink.

"Oh, honey, I'm sorry. I just feel like I have to push you to see that you are wasting away here. I mean, I know you are a mom first. I really admire that about you. But the twins are ten and Chase is eight. You have spent the last three years rebuilding their lives since Marcus died, but if you don't start rebuilding your own, I'm afraid you're not going to come back to us. I want to see the light in those big brown eyes again. I want to hear you sing and laugh. Well, maybe not sing," she pauses for effect and for me to join in her chuckling. "I want to hear you make snarky comments. You need some adult fun and this is the perfect week to see what you've been missing. You know your kids are having a great time with your parents at the lake and you have no responsibilities to tie you-"

"Angela, we have negotiations this week. You know that." I interrupt. "Acquiring Vulture Publishing is really important to me, to DiClemente Publishing. It will potentially increase our market share in areas Marcus never dreamed of."

My interruption earns me an exaggerated sigh from Angela. She hates to be interrupted. I know this and did it anyway. Crap! I am falling right into Objective #2. Double crap! Now I'm smirking because I like being snarky. I'd forgotten. Triple crap! How much rum did she put in this drink? I'm starting to feel goooood. Sugar rush plus alcohol buzz equals win for Bella.

"Negotiations won't be going on all night long, but we can find you a Sex God who will," she snarks back.

She hops up from the couch, suddenly excited again. "Now, let's get moving, sister! It's Saturday and we have girls' night in, remember? You said we could all come over to swim in your pool and drink your tequila and I'm holding you to it. I've texted all the regs and they'll be here in three hours, which gives us just enough time to get that margarita machine you have wasting away in your basement fired up and ready for action. I think that poor margarita machine has seen less action than Lily during the last three years."

"That's not true. I've made slushies for the kids in it lots of times!" I'm trying to sound pissed, but that sounds lame, even to me.

"Bella, allow me to draw a comparison. Slushies are to margarita machines as vibrators are to Lilies: Okay once in awhile, but not really what the equipment was created to handle. And definitely not as good as the real thing." She's laughing and backing her way toward the door. "You get the machine ready; I'll do the liquor store run and meet you back here in an hour. Bye!" She slams the door behind her and makes a run for her own house before I can even think of a snappy comeback. Well, I probably wouldn't have thought of a snappy comeback, but that's not the point.

With a sigh, and then a laugh, Lily and I head downstairs to dig out the margarita machine.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight or any of its characters. No copyright infringement is intended. If I did own Twilight, I would never do laundry again.**

_Lighten up while you still can  
__Don't even try to understand  
__Just find a place to make your stand  
__And take it easy_

****

Two hours later: The margarita machine is clean and filled with a frozen concoction that helps Jimmy Buffett hang on. Maybe it will help me hang on tonight, too.

Three hours later: Tiki torches are lit. Angela's iPod is hooked to my outdoor speakers, and it's not raining, which is newsworthy in Seattle. I'm starting to feel almost light-hearted. This may or may not be because of the two frozen concoctions I may or may not have already drunk…no, drank…no, drunk.

Four hours later: I think Angela was right about the margarita machine. It sounds _happy_. Whirring and chilling and spitting out frosty goodness, fulfilling its ultimate purpose. Maybe there's something to this brilliant plan after all. Angela did graduate in the top two percent of her class at Princeton.

Five hours later: I'm sitting on the side of the pool with my besties and laughing so hard I might pee in my tankini bottoms. How long has it been since I've been this carefree, this easy? I can't remember. We are all singing along with the music and my tiny friend, Mary Katherine, is dancing on the diving board. She's barely five feet tall. She's the tiniest friend I've had since….Alice. Wow. Where did that random thought come from?

Alice Cullen. I wonder what ever happened to her. I used to think about her often, but lately, it's become almost a daily occurrence that something reminds me of Alice or her family. I still felt bad about the way our friendship ended, but I couldn't find her when I tried and then later I didn't want to find her. If I found her, then I would have to hear about her brother, Edward, and I definitely didn't want to hear anything about him.

For the third time today, tears unexpectedly sting my eyes. I clamber up from the side of the pool and mumble something about the bathroom, hurrying to get there before everyone sees me crying over a boy I haven't seen or heard from in 15 years.

When I get to the bathroom, though, it's occupied. I lean against the wall outside the bathroom and look up at the ceiling light, blinking away the unshed tears.

"Get a grip, Swan." Out loud, again? Really? Why am I talking to myself so much today? And why is it always out loud?

The bathroom door opens and Angela emerges in her tiny red bikini.

"That's the second time I've heard you call yourself Swan today. Did you change back to your maiden name or something?" she asks, swaying slightly. Or maybe I'm the one swaying. I can't be sure.

"No, it's just habit, I guess. I was Swan a lot longer than I've been DiClemente, so the internal dialogue hasn't caught up."

"Yeah, Bella, it's not internal dialogue if you keep saying it out loud," Angela says giggling. Then we're both giggling and I really have to get in that bathroom.

"Wait for me," I call, running in and shutting the door. I splash cold water on my face before going back out. I look like hell, but at least my tears are under control now. When I come out, she's leaning against the wall I previously occupied, studying me.

"What?" I'm suspicious already. I've seen this scheming look on her face before and I know it has something to do with this Operation thing she's dreamed up. These looks usually mean big, fat trouble for me.

"Bella, that momsuit does nothing for you. We need to shop tomorrow. Objective #3 in the OGBLTW Plan." I am impressed that she can remember all those letters at this point in the tequila. I mean evening. "Your wardrobe is no good for luring a Sex God. We need outfits that say 'Come hither. Let's do shots and then do each other'. I mean, seriously, you have a great body under there somewhere. It's time to take off the granny panties, put on the thong and get back in the game."

It is a testament to the courage given to me by my friend, Jose Cuervo, that I say, "Okay."

****

Angela drags me back outside where only Mary Katherine and one other friend, Emma, are still in the pool area. I guess Ang and I were inside longer than I thought. But these three are my closest friends and Angela wastes no time filling them in on her plan. Mary Katherine is practically jumping up and down with excitement and volunteers to come shopping with us. It's probably good for me; even though her style is more trendy than mine, it's better than Angela's style: tight and short.

Emma stares me down with her ice blue eyes. "Fucking finally, Bella. I thought maybe you were just gonna put up concertina wire down there and hang a 'No Trespassing' sign. Ang, don't forget to hit the lingerie department tomorrow. I had to borrow panties here last summer once and they almost came up to my tits. They were like pantaloons or some shit. My grandmother has better lingerie than Bella."

I raise my eyebrows at this comment. I had no idea my granny panty ways were so well-known among my friends.

Before long, my three best friends sit at the patio table to dissect my wardrobe, declaring it completely lacking for attracting the opposite sex. Mary Katherine even starts making a list on her iPhone of essential items we (meaning I) need. She must have noticed the dejected look in my eyes, because she winked her little hazel eye at me and patted my hand in a comforting way.

"Guys, I'm not totally on board with this plan. I don't think I can just pick a hot guy and decide to have sex with him. I mean, I'm not a prude, but I've never had casual sex before," I interject before they get completely carried away.

"Then, Bella, it's about fucking time you did." Emma leans forward in her chair and levels me with that icy stare again. "You do not want to head into your sexual prime in the midst of this drought. You'll be like the fucking desert sand and just soak up any water that decides to rain down on you. Don't you want to be a little more choosy and hold out for, say, Pellegrino? Or at least Evian? You don't want to just take the bottled municipal water, do you? Choose, Bella. Choose your water." She sits back and nods at me like she's just delivered some deep, philosophical, sexual decree.

The rest of us sit in stunned silence. Drunk, stunned silence, but still, it's impressive that Emma has quieted all of us with one weird analogy.

Luckily, I am saved when Ben, Angela's husband, hollers through the wrought iron fence. "Angela, it's after midnight. When are you coming to bed?" Ben sounds lonely…and whiny.

Angela calls back, "I can be naked in two minutes if you can."

"'Night, Ladies!" Ben calls over his shoulder as he races back to his back door.

"See, Bella? This is what you need. A hot guy that will make you drop your panties in two minutes or less. See you tomorrow, girls!" Angela grabs her sandals and runs for the gate to follow Ben home.

"Ben is like Fiji water. Nobody's really sure where it comes from, but it tastes okay and the bottle's cool." More Emma wisdom. Yeah, she'll be spending the night in the guest room. No driving for the drunky philosopher.

****

An hour later, the party mess is all cleaned up and I'm finally ready for bed. Out of curiosity, I look through my panty drawer and burst into tears (again) as I search through my unmentionables. All cotton briefs. Not even any cotton bikinis. No satin. No silk. No thongs. When did this happen and how come I never even realized it?

"They're right, Swan," I say to myself. Out loud again. "You are the granny panty wearer."

I gather up all but one pair for tomorrow and carry them to the kitchen where I use my fancy kitchen shears to shred every pair.

I climb into bed with a smile on my face and an uncovered Lily.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight or any of its characters. No copyright infringement is intended. If I did own Twilight, I would never do laundry again.**

_Where are you going?  
Where do you go?  
Are you looking for answers  
To questions under the stars?  
Well, if along the way  
You are grown weary  
You can rest with me until  
A brighter day and you're okay_

_****_

Sunday morning dawns cloudy and misty. And now we're back to the regular Seattle weather.

I lie in bed, looking out at the sky, but thinking of the boy with the greenest eyes I have ever seen. The boy I loved and lost. The boy I dreamed such strange, disjointed dreams about last night. I can't remember much about the dreams, except that he was constantly there, everywhere I turned.

I guess my subconscious is throwing him at me again. It was probably all the sex talk yesterday. And the fact that of the four people I have had sex with in my lifetime, he was the best. Or at least I remember him as the best. I'm sure I've romanticized it over the last 15 years, amplified the pleasure and the connection so that no one else will ever live up to this ideal memory I've created. He was my first love and I was with him longer than anyone else except Marcus, my husband.

Marcus. What would you think if you were here? If you knew what my friends have planned for me this week? Would you approve? Disapprove? I know you would want me to be happy, in any case.

Jesus, here come the damn tears again. I'm not supposed to be PMS'ing for another two weeks. What the fuck is wrong with me? I feel so empty. So lonely. And I've felt this way for so long…long before Marcus died. How did we make so many mistakes?

No, I couldn't think of it that way. If we hadn't made the decision we did, I wouldn't have Sophie, Michael and Chase. I wouldn't trade them for anything. I smile through my tears and wonder what they're doing.

I grab my iPhone off the nightstand, but they haven't called or texted me. I am not allowed to call them. It's the rule when they're with Grandma and Grandpa. They send me a text once a day, starting on the day after they leave, just to let me know they're ok. I am allowed to respond in ten words or less. It's really hard for me, but Grandma says it's good for their independence. I think she thinks it's good for mine, too. And I may have been a teensy bit of an annoyance during their first trip when I ended up making the kids homesick with my constant phone calls.

More tears fall as I realize she's right. I _am_ too dependent on my kids. Too much of my life is wrapped up in their lives. They will never be able to pull away and stand on their own two feet if I don't start standing on mine. The balance is just so damn hard to find.

Balance. That's what broke up the relationship between the green-eyed boy and me. Balance of his dreams, my dreams, and our dreams. I guess it was more the lack of balance. The arrogance of stubbornness. The reluctance to swallow pride and compromise. Neither of us willing to be the one that said sorry first. I cringe when I think of the horrible things we said to each other the last time I saw him and my escalation of the fight to include his twin sister, my best friend, Alice.

I'll never forget the look on her face that last night. I'll never forgive myself for not apologizing immediately and putting a stop to the whole stupid argument. How different might my life have been? I have no way of knowing if Edward and I would have been able to maintain a long-distance relationship as we had planned until that night, but I felt sure that I would have maintained my friendship with Alice no matter what. I suddenly miss her desperately.

I lost much more than my first love that night. I lost my best friend and my surrogate family. Edward and Alice's older brother, Emmett, had become my older brother, too. Their parents, Carlisle and Esme, had become my second set of parents, always treating me as another one of their brood. I was almost relieved that I never saw them again after that night. I'm sure they knew the horrible things I said to their children. They would have been disappointed in me. _I_ was disappointed in me.

A soft knock at my bedroom door brings me out of my sad reverie.

"Bella, it's Em. Can I come in? I brought you coffee."

"Of course, Emma. Come in." I pat the other side of the bed and she climbs up after handing me a mug of incredible-smelling coffee.

We both snuggle under the covers and sip.

"God, Em. How come your coffee always tastes so much better than mine?" I try to keep the whine out of my voice, but I'm not quite successful.

"I'm a caterer. It's my job to make everything taste better than if you made it yourself. I've made myself quite a little business out of that skill, you know." She smirks over the rim of her cup at me. "It's not the only skill I have that would make me a fortune. But it's the only one that's legal as a for-profit in this state."

"Em, I do not want to hear about your vast sexual skills again. I remember all too well how appreciative Antonio was last summer. Everyone within a five-mile radius of my house heard how appreciative he was. I had to buy a five gallon bucket of disinfectant for the steam shower after you two were done in there." I make a gagging sound for effect. "And if I remember correctly, he was the reason you had to borrow a pair of my granny panties, right?"

Emma throws her head back and laughs her infectious laugh. I join in soon after.

"So, what's with the granny panty graveyard in the kitchen?"

I know I'm blushing as I answer, "You guys are right. I am old before my time. I don't have enough fun. I have lost the girl I used to be in all this grief and guilt that I've let rule my life for three years. It's time for me to re-evaluate some things in my life. Fix the stuff I can fix. Put to rest the stuff I can't. Make peace with my regrets." Like the green-eyed boy and his tiny sister.

"Bella, I think you're gonna be ok, kiddo." She says with a wink. "Breakfast is in the oven, it'll be out in 30 minutes. I was hoping we could go over the final menu for tomorrow night while we eat, okay?"

"Shit! I totally forgot I agreed to host this stupid dinner tomorrow," I groan.

Angela talked me into having a dinner party for Aro Volturi, the owner of Vulture Publishing, the company I was hoping to acquire, the evening before negotiations would begin. He and some of his assistants were flying in from Los Angeles early tomorrow afternoon. The only upside to the dinner was that it got me out of airport pick-up duty. I guilted Angela into doing that, along with Jessica, our CEO's assistant.

"Too late now. You know how Angela is about this stuff. She loves to entertain in your home," Em laughs.

"Maybe this will throw her off schedule for the week she has planned for me," I say hopefully.

"Doubt it. She'll probably just find a way to invite some Sex God here for dinner." She's smirking again.

"Emma, so help me, if you suggest that to her, I will never ask you to cater again!" I threaten. Sort of. She knows it's an empty threat. I love her and her food is always incredible.

I finish my coffee and head for the shower as she heads for the door. As I walk past her, she smacks my ass…hard.

"Ow! Dammit, Em, that hurt!"

"Isabella Marie Swan DiClemente, where the hell are your underwear?" She yells as I slam the double doors to the master bath. "First the granny panty graveyard and now no panties covering Lily at all. Angela is way ahead of schedule."

Even the sound of the shower doesn't drown out her laughter. But it does hide mine as I laugh right along with her.

****

Mary Katherine stayed over too and is awake in time for breakfast. Angela shows up as well. I swear she's got some kind of food radar. She always manages to show up just in time to eat, but never early enough to help. Actually, we're all thankful she doesn't try to help anymore. We suffered enough in the beginning of our friendship. She makes up for it by always helping clean up. And by mixing us delicious alcoholic beverages.

Emma and I finalized the menu before she arrived, so I ask Angela to go over it and make sure we didn't miss anything. Emma is going to get the alcohol, too, so I peruse that list once more.

"Hey, Em, Ben said he would for sure bartend tomorrow night. Is MK helping, too?" Angela asks.

"Yeah, she's going to help me serve since we're doing sit-down," Em replies. "You got a final head count?"

"I think nine, including me and Bella, but maybe we should say ten, just in case. Mr. Vulturi's secretary wasn't sure who all was coming from LA when Jessica spoke to her on Friday."

"Please tell me that Skankica is not going to be here tomorrow night!" MK exclaims.

"Mary Katherine, she has to come. She's on Jake's negotiation team and he won't be able to make it for dinner. It's supposed to be a non-business dinner, but I need her and Tyler here in case anything comes up," I reply curtly. I really don't think Jessica is that bad, but none of the others like her a bit.

"No Jakey? He was the only reason I wanted to help," MK whines. She still insists on calling him Jakey, just like she did when they dated, for approximately two minutes, five years ago.

"Mare, you know he's engaged, right?" Angela asks gently.

MK laughs loudly. "Of course, but that doesn't mean I can't look at the delicious man candy, does it? Besides, I dumped him, if you remember."

I wasn't aware you could dump someone when you had only been on two dates, but I decide not to point this out to MK now. I need an ally today on the shopping trip and she is my only hope.

****

Angela, MK and I take off for the mall so we can be there when the stores open. Em has decided to start prepping for tomorrow night's party instead of joining us, but she'll be cooking at my house so she made us promise to show her everything when we get back.

Mary Katherine insists we start with manis and pedis, so we can "feel pretty" while we shop. Whatever. I just want to get this over with.

They drag me to store after store and coerce me to try on outfits I would normally not have the nerve to. But I have to admit, I like most of what they've talked me into buying way more than I'm letting on. The game is more fun for Ang if she thinks she's making me miserable, so I play along.

We buy work outfits, going out outfits, new swimsuits (one of which I will _not_ be able to wear around my kids), casual outfits, and shoes. I'm exhausted, which is also part of their plan. I know what store we've avoided so far today and I realize they are waiting until they think I am so worn down that I will acquiesce completely to their will.

I pretend to be irritated as I get measured for bras in the lingerie store. I moan and groan at the beautiful, sexy stuff they choose for me. I bite the inside of my cheek to keep from smiling when I have my bag full of new bras and panties. And I hold in my gasp when Lily gives approval of the new undergarments and the path of debauchery I'm pretty sure my friends are dragging me down.

Bella's granny panties have left the building.

****

After modeling everything for Emma, and Ang and MK who are sticking around, I decide to set the dining room table for tomorrow night. Angela and MK offer to help. Hmm, what's going on?

"Okay, girls, is this now Operation Babysit Bella? Because I don't need it. I'm fine. I got the text from Grandma earlier that everything's good with the kids and they're having a blast. I'm resigned to this dinner tomorrow night. I'm even resigned to the fact that sooner or later this week you three are going to take me to some singles meat market and try to foist me onto some poor, unsuspecting, hot guy slash Sex God so that Lily isn't lonely anymore. Ugh! I can't believe you've got me referring to my girly parts as Lily now!"

"Time for wine!" MK chirps, skipping to the kitchen for glasses and a bottle of white.

"Bells, we're not babysitting you. We're trying to help, really. Honestly, we thought we were kind of hard on you today and thought if we help you get ready for the party, maybe you'd actually have a little time to start reading Jane Austen tonight. We know you re-read your Jane Austen collection every year while the kids are gone. Come on, Bells. Mr. Darcy is waiting," Angela pleads in her husky voice.

"Sorry. I just figured you guys had an ulterior motive –"

"We usually do."

"Yeah, you do. But I'm still sorry about the outburst. I'd love the help if you're still willing," I say quietly. "I guess I am on edge a little. I miss the kids. I'm anxious about the meetings this week. I feel…..unsettled. I keep thinking about this friend I had in high school and feeling bad that I lost her friendship. And her brother's. I can't get them off my mind for some inexplicable reason."

MK is back with our filled glasses and I know what her opinion will be even before she begins speaking. "Bella, that means that your subconscious is getting a signal from somewhere in the universe. I bet they're thinking about you, too. Maybe there's going to be some kind of resolution, some closure to this relationship that you're suddenly obsessive over." I know she's not done. She's only pausing to sip her wine.

"You know how cosmically we're all connected, right? So you have a connection with this girl and her brother out in the universe. Even if it's not an active connection in the physical world, your subconscious knows that something is shifting, like enormous tectonic plates. There will be an earthquake in your life soon, mark my words."

Has MK been drinking this afternoon? I think back. No. This is completely sober MK. I love her but she's so out there. I love her in part _because_ she's so out there.

She continues, "Sometimes Betty even feels it when I'm going to meet someone. Like Betty starts sensing his energy a couple days before I meet him."

I raise one eyebrow at this little nugget. I'm pretty sure I know who Betty is and I'm pretty sure that I now know where Angela got the idea to name mine Lily, but I can't stop the words as they tumble out. "And who is Betty?"

"Bella, what a stupid question. Betty is _my_ Lily."

Fuckitalltohell. Now I've heard everything. MK has a psychic jayjay? I'm used to hearing her, uh, unorthodox theories about life and existence, but this pronouncement leaves me so confounded that I can't stop the snort from escaping, unattractive as it may be.

Angela starts to giggle. Thank God Em is still in the kitchen. I know she can still hear this crazy ass convo though.

"Bella," MK reprimands me sharply, "you will fuck up Lily's cosmic connection if you ridicule Betty's. Yin and yang. Don't release any bad karma into the universe. Don't you want the Sex God to feel and respond to your positive energy?"

Terrific. Now we've gotten her started. MK, believer in all matters universal, and Emma, cynic of all matters universal, will argue about this shit all night if we don't wrap this up quickly.

"Mare, are you off your meds again?" Em calls. The cynic never misses her cue. How these two manage to live together and not kill each other amazes me.

"Emma, just because you don't believe in it doesn't mean it doesn't exist," MK huffs.

"And just because you do believe in it doesn't make it real," Emma retorts.

Angela has moved from giggles to hysterics. She's holding herself up by leaning on one of the dining room chairs while she tries not to spill her wine. Damn straight! I saw the bottle MK opened and it was a good one. And an expensive one.

True to form, the insults really start flying next. Em comes storming into the dining room. I take two big gulps of wine while I half listen to them verbally beat the crap out of each other. Ang and I make eye contact and she points a freshly manicured finger at me. She always makes me break up these fights. I bring out the big guns.

"Shut. The. Fuck. Up!" I scream as loud as I can. Seriously, Ben probably heard me inside his and Angela's house.

Mission accomplished though. They do shut up. I think it's the mom voice. Or the volume. Or maybe the F-word.

Then the laughter starts. All of us. Laughing so hard that we all end up sitting on the hardwood floor in the dining room, holding our wine glasses in one hand and making a hand tower with our others in the middle of our makeshift circle.

"You three bitches are the best friends a girl could ever have," I manage to get out in between giggles. But, Em? Ang? If either one of you starts calling your jayjay Veronica, we are done!"

Amidst a new round of laughter, I feel the absence of my long lost friend again.

****

Monday afternoon, I've just gotten home from picking up flowers for the dinner party when I hear my phone chime to signal I have a new text.

***B-  
OMFG, I have SG in limo and I'm bringing him 2 ur house 4 dinner -A**

I start to laugh hysterically as I text her back.

***A-  
Stop it! I'm freaked out enough about dinner. Pay attn 2 our guests. -B**

I immediately get a reply.

***B-  
Srsly, SG across frm me. Will call u after dropping them at hotel! -A**

Rolling my eyes, I set the phone down on the kitchen counter and head for the shower. I have vowed to myself that I will not be getting ready five minutes before guests arrive tonight. Thirty-five minutes later, I head back to the kitchen, hair done, makeup done and wearing old holey jeans and my favorite oversized, dark grey t-shirt. With 90 minutes until guests arrive, I have plenty of time to change clothes after helping Emma with whatever last minute stuff she needs.

I hear my phone ringing as I walk toward the kitchen. It's Angela.

"Bella! Where the fuck have you been? I've called you like sixteen times. I told you I was going to call about the Sex God!"

"Ang, calm down. I was in the shower. Why are you screaming at me?"

"God, Bell, you won't believe how beautiful he is. Beautiful eyes, beautiful hair, beautiful lips, beautiful hands. And I'm pretty sure he's hiding a great ass under his suit coat. I hope he wears jeans tonight so I can check it out. And really, even if his ass sucks, he's the perfect male specimen in every other way, so we'd have to overlook the ass suckage."

"Well, I'm sure Ben will appreciate you checking out another guy's ass right in front of him, but –"

"Bella, this guy is so gorge that Ben will be checking out his ass, too!"

"Angela Weber! Can you zip it for one minute about the eye candy part and tell me who the hell this guy is and why he's coming for dinner?"

"Sorry, B. I've been kind of hyperventilating since I saw him. Maybe I'm hormonal or some shit. And by the way, Skankica is already putting the moves on him. I told her to back the fuck off as soon as we dropped them at the hotel, but her eyes were all lit up like a fucking kid on Christmas morning, so the cease and desist order may have to come from you."

"ANG! Focus! Shut up and tell me who this guy is!" Jeez, she just got me to say 'shut up' and 'tell me' in the same sentence. Her hysteria is apparently catching.

"Sorry, sorry. He's one of their lawyers. I'm sure they said his name, but honestly, there was so much buzzing in my head from the lack of oxygen that I missed it – I forgot to breathe when I first saw him coming down the stairs from the jet. His hair was blowing in the wind and his suit jacket was blowing in the wind and his tie was kind of flapping out to the side. I think my uterus actually started crying because it won't be having his babies. But he isn't wearing a wedding ring and I'm sure if someone was lucky enough to catch McHottie, Esquire, they would have marked him in some way. I would make him tattoo "Hands off, bitches" on his forehead if he was mine."

"Are you okay to drive home or should I send the hot eye candy roadside assistance?" I ask, laughing. I don't remember ever hearing Angela quite this flustered.

"No, I'm calming down now. And I don't appreciate you making fun of me when all I'm trying to do is get you the hottest piece of ass I have ever seen. I mean, I can't do him; he's not on my "Free 5" list. But if I had seen him before my wedding, he _totally_ would have been. Ben said I couldn't change the list after the wedding, though, so I will have to live vicariously through Lily-"

"Quit it with the Lilytalk."

"Okay, sorry, Bells. I'm going home to change quickly and then I'm coming over. I have to be there when you and Lily get your first look at the Sex God. Bye!"

She hangs up before I can tell her to screw off.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight or any of its characters. No copyright infringement is intended. If I did own Twilight, I would never do laundry again.**

_And through a fractal on a breaking wall,  
I see you my friend and touch your face again,  
Miracles will happen as we dream  
But we're never gonna survive unless  
We get a little crazy  
_

_****_

Thirty-five minutes later, I'm helping Em set up the bar when I see Angela racing across our backyards, carrying her high heels in one hand and a lidded coffee tumbler in the other. Her smile falters as she notices what I'm doing, or maybe it's what I'm wearing.

"Isabella! Why the fuck aren't you dressed? The Sex God will be here in 45 minutes. Was I not completely clear on the absolute perfection of this man? You cannot be standing here in holey jeans and bare feet when he arrives."

Yep, it's the clothes.

"I'm getting dressed in ten minutes!" I reply testily. "Now back the hell off! There's no reason to try and impress the Sex God, anyway. It would be unethical of me to try to seduce the other side's lawyer, Angela."

"You know, I am not a complete fool, B. I realize nothing can happen until negotiations are over. This is foreplay, honey. Forefuckingplay. Think back. Remember when you would spend days teasing a guy before finally luring him into the web you designed to make him think it was all his idea? He won't know what hit him."

I suddenly have the image of a giant spider with Angela's face.

"No, Ang, I don't remember ever doing that. I was never good at being a calculating seductress. I was the fly, not the spider." I say through clenched teeth, frowning. I think I'm the fly again now, and so is the unfortunate Sex God. Spider Angela is going to try and lure us both into her web of casual sex.

Em takes advantage of the pause in the yelling match Angela and I were having to seethe, "There's a Sex God coming to dinner? No one tells me anything anymore!" She drops the 20-pound bag of ice she was holding down to the tile floor, shaking the room and causing all the glassware on top of the bar to clink together.

"Ladies, that is enough," I say, still through clenched teeth. "I love you both, but this has gone too far. Tonight is a very important night for my company. I know my personal life has to change, but I won't do it at the expense of the company that my husband and his father built. I need you both to lay the hell off my sex life for the next few hours and concentrate on the business at hand. The Sex God is a nonissue for now."

"Em," I continue, "I'll finish icing down the drinks before I get dressed so you can focus on the food. Angela, can you please grab the flowers off the kitchen counter? The short vase is for the dining table and the taller one is for the bar."

"Okay, Sarge," Angela snickers while saluting me. "Hey, I made you a drink to, you know, calm the nerves before all the fun starts. Let me get some glasses and we'll split it while we're getting you dressed."

I roll my eyes and shake my head. I know I won't win this battle. With an exasperated laugh, I ask, "What's this one called? No more Afternoon Delight, I hope."

"Nope, this is a brand new creation," she calls from the kitchen with a laugh. "It's called Strawberry Sexual Healing." I hear a snort – Em's – and I think a high five, too.

I'm screwed, not only because I apparently now have two pimps instead of just one, but also because I'm pretty sure Lily heard what the name of this drink is, and she liked it.

****

Several minutes later, Angela saunters, there's no other word to describe her walk, into my bathroom with two red plastic cups and hands one to me. She's my best friend, so I don't always really pay attention to how she moves. But she manages to be graceful and sexy and beautiful all at the same time. I wish I could learn to walk that way. She has the kind of walk that makes men stop whatever they're doing to watch. She told me once that she learned this walk from watching old movies and insists that she was a total math geek before college. I think she might just be trying to make me feel better. I bet she was born with those moves.

"Come on, Bella. Don't be mad. You know it's funny," she teases, as she takes a big drink. "Drink, drink, drink. We've got to get you ready and leave enough time for flossing. You don't want any strawberry seeds stuck in your teeth when you greet your guests, right?"

"This isn't gonna knock me on my ass, is it?" I ask before taking a tentative sip.

"It would if I let you drink the whole thing. That's why we're splitting. It'll be just enough to relax you, I promise. I really do love you and I want everything to go well for you this week. And I do mean every. little. thing. Well, hopefully not so little," she says in her husky man voice. God, no wonder she can get any man in our office to do anything for her. I wish my voice was husky and sexy instead of squeaky.

"You're not really wearing that, are you?" She asks, pointing at the new jeans, cute, flowy black top and black jeweled elbow-length shrug hanging on my closet door.

"Angela, you personally chose that outfit for me not 24 hours ago," I complain.

"That was before we knew there would be a special guest at dinner. How about a skirt instead? You have great legs," she reasons.

"No. No way. I will have to wear skirts and heels the next two days for negotiations and I want to be comfy tonight. Jeans and flats as planned," I insist.

"Yeah, you're right. Casual is better tonight. And the outfit is fucksexy, too. Save the gams for tomorrow. The new short gray pinstripe skirt. Your legs will drive him mad. I've never been so glad we have a glass-top table in the conference room," she says.

I slurp the rest of my drink down before shooting a glare her way. Obviously, my earlier come to Jesus meeting has not toned down Angela's enthusiasm for her plan.

"I see you glaring at me, sister," she laughs. "You didn't really think I'd give up that easily, did you? But calm down. I promise to behave myself tonight and through negotiations, okay? Now that Objective #4 is met so far ahead of schedule, I'm perfectly willing to wait until Wednesday night when the meetings are over to move forward. Dinner and some bar hopping after successful negotiations will be the perfect opportunity to launch Objective #5."

I spit toothpaste into the sink and ask, "What was #4?"

"Finding the hot guy, silly. I really didn't think I'd find him this soon. I was planning on Wednesday or even Thursday. And just so you don't have to ask, #5 is the S.E.X." She nods at me in the mirror before turning to grab my clothes off the hangers for me.

Five minutes later, she's dressed me, perfumed me, checked my teeth and her own for strawberry seeds, picked jewelry for me, and powdered my oily t-zone. She's like a damn tornado. Lastly, she puts lotion on my hands and forearms so I'm soft enough to shake hands, or apparently forearms, with the Sex God.

I am suddenly reminded that Alice used to do this to me in high school, dressing me up and running circles around me, getting both of us ready for any activity faster than I could get just myself ready. I quickly push that memory from my mind. I have no time tonight for melancholy thoughts. I have business associates and a Sex God to impress! Lord, where did that crazy thought come from?

With a last look in the mirror, Angela and I head out to await our guests.

****

"Okay, ladies…and Ben," Angela pauses to give her husband a wink and a smile, "the limo driver just called. They are about five minutes out. What?" she asks when she sees my perplexed look. "I wanted a little advance warning of their arrival. I asked him to call and, you know, when I use my sexy voice, the boys never say no."

Now she's grinning, and poor, love-struck Ben is beaming right back at her.

Shit! She's coming at me with lipstick. "Just a little, Bella, and it's a really light color. There. So pretty. So 'Come hither'," she says when she's done.

Angela, Em and MK are all looking at me like they're my freaking fairy godmothers or something and I know I'm blushing….again. I think Angela might be tearing up. She sniffles. Ben keeps looking from me to her with his WTF? face.

"Knock it off, guys. Let's go wait on the porch, Ang. Where are Tyler, James and Jessica?" I ask as we walk outside. "Shouldn't they be here to greet our guests, too?"

Angela has the good sense to look guilty, or at least try to look guilty, when she responds. "I told them 15 minutes later than I told the limo driver. I didn't think we needed Jessica here for the Sex God's arrival." She looks away quickly.

"Remind me not to get on your bad side!" I say laughing. "You really have no shame, do you?" I turn to face her and lean a hip against the railing of the porch which runs the entire length of the front of my house, adding a country feel to the Craftsman style.

"Oh, good move, not facing the direction where they'll be coming in. Doesn't make you look too anxious," Angela observes. I swear that's not what I was thinking….I think.

"Here they come! They're pulling into the circle drive. Now, I'll make the introductions since…wait, I don't actually know his name. Mr. Vulturi will have to do the introductions. Bella? You okay? You're looking a little shaky there, sister. Smile!"

****

Seconds later Angela grabs my elbow and pulls me toward the steps. As we descend the four steps from the porch to the sidewalk, the driver has already made his way around and is opening the door facing us. Suddenly, the door on the other side opens up and a tall, athletically-built man gets out and steps into the yard a few feet away, without so much as a backward glance at us, talking into the phone held to his left ear.

"That's him, and it looks like I was right about the ass," she whispers. Yeah, she was right about the ass. He's wearing dark jeans and a dark blue shirt with the cuffs rolled up around his tanned forearms. The jeans are just baggy enough to be cool while also showing of his spectacular backside. California Sex God, what is your name? And would you like to meet my friend, Lily? Gah! How much rum did Ang give me? These lustful thoughts are _so_ not me.

I snap myself back to reality as I see Mr. Vulturi approach us, followed by some of his staff. I immediately recognize Jane, Alec, and Demetri from our initial meetings in LA a few months ago.

"Mr. Vulturi, welcome to my home. I'm so pleased you could join us tonight for dinner and some non-publishing world conversation," I say, smiling and grasping his left hand since he's holding his cane in his right hand.

He pulls me close to kiss me on the cheek affectionately. I kind of wish he was my grandfather. I never knew either of mine and Mr. Vulturi seems like he would be such a good one. My heart aches a little for him that he and his wife never had children. I beam up at him and desperately hope Angela didn't miss any strawberry seeds during my oral exam.

"Bella, so good to see you. And I believe I've asked you more than once to please call me Aro. You remember Jane, Demetri and Alec, I presume?"

"Of course, Aro. I'm so glad you all could come. You remember Angela Weber, DiClemente Publishing's CFO, don't you?"

"Yes, yes. I couldn't forget Angela. We also brought a surprise guest with us tonight, Bella. I hope it isn't too much of an imposition. When my lawyer offered to come along and look over the contract, I gladly accepted," Aro says sheepishly.

With a quick glance at the Sex God, he continues, "I'm sure he'll be with us in a moment. He got a call from another client just as we were pulling up. I'm anxious to introduce him to you and your staff. You see, he grew up somewhere up here in the great state of Washington, although I can't remember for the life of me what the little town is called. Charming place, though, he says."

"Bella, we brought some wine. Would you like us to take it on inside?" Jane asks, smiling. I have never been sure if she's on board with me potentially being her boss or not, but she seems to be playing nice for now.

"Yes, please. Angela, would you please take them in? Aro and I will wait out here until our last guest is ready to join us." I am still holding Aro's left hand between both of mine and I crave just a few quiet moments with him before all the business meetings kick in. I have wined and dined this man and his wife for months now and am genuinely fond of them both. I would like to inquire about Heidi's health without the others overhearing.

"I know what you're up to, missy," Aro chuckles after the others have gone. "You want to know if I've left Heidi for you yet, eh?" Aro's eyes shine with amusement. "Well, you know I can't do that. Not when she's on the mend from that broken hip. We're about ready to put our dancing shoes back on! Jake promised to send us an invitation to his wedding this fall, so if she's up to it, you'll see her then if not before."

"Oh, Aro, that's the best news!" I say, my eyes filling with tears of joy. I press my lips to his cheek and then rest my chin on his shoulder for just a second. Behind him, I see the Sex God still on the phone. I watch as he raises his right hand and rakes it through his hair roughly, causing the hair on top of his head to stick out every which way. I frown slightly, thinking of someone else who used to do that, but am brought back to the present when Aro continues speaking.

"Will Jake be here tonight?"

I straighten to look him in the eye as I answer. "No. He's on a flight back from New York right now. His fiancée took him there to meet her grandparents since they aren't well enough to travel here for the wedding. He asked me to pass along his wishes for a wonderful evening, though. He'll be anxious to see you in the morning. You know, we are both so fond of you," I say.

Over his shoulder I see the Sex God finally getting off the phone. I smile up at Aro, remarking, "Your lawyer is finally off the phone. My lawyer isn't even here yet. We're always waiting on them, huh? And probably getting charged for it!" We laugh together as Aro moves his right foot to turn slightly toward the Sex God.

"Young man," he calls in that grandfatherly tone again, "haven't you kept Mrs. DiClemente waiting long enough? Come and meet the lovely lady."

"Sorry. I'll be right there, Aro," the Sex God replies, his back still to us. "Please forgive my rudeness," he begins as he turns toward us. He takes one step then stops dead in his tracks.

Angela's right; he's beautiful.

Our eyes meet. His are still the greenest I've ever seen. My smile falters and my eyes blink furiously. His lips settle into that smirk that used to make my knees go weak and my pulse race.

I think a tectonic plate just shifted under my feet. I am clinging to Aro now and fleetingly hope that I don't pull us both down as I struggle to maintain my composure in the midst of the earthquake.

"Edward," I breathe.


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight or any of its characters. No copyright infringement is intended. If I did own Twilight, I would never put away laundry again. I decided it's not the actual doing I hate.**

_I think I was wrong  
I think you were right  
All my angry words  
Will keep me up at night  
Through the old screen door  
I still hear you say  
Honey won't you stop  
Treating me that way  
if you could only see  
What love has made of me  
Then I'd no longer be in your mind  
The difficult kind  
Cause babe I've changed_

_****_

"Edward," I repeat.

Suddenly, my rum-addled brain is going a million miles an hour, like my life with Edward is flashing before my eyes. I remember the first time I saw him, talked to him, kissed him.

I remember baking cookies with him in his mom's kitchen and how pissed she was at the mess we made of it and each other when we had a fight with the flour. Us sitting on his bed that same afternoon, with me wearing one of his t-shirts and a pair of his boxers while his mom washed my clothes so I wouldn't get in trouble with my dad for the many Edward-sized, impossible-to-wipe-off flour handprints on my chest and ass. That afternoon was the first time he got to second base, under the borrowed clothes, as we waited for mine to dry.

I remember kissing him in the hallways at school, his car, my truck, my room, our meadow. And fighting about where we should make love for the first time. He thought a bed would be more comfortable for me. I thought our meadow would mean more to us. I won.

I remember making love for the first time in that meadow, at twilight, and how both of us had tears in our eyes, feeling the intense connection. And all the times after the first time, sometimes teenage-hormone-fueled, sometimes heartbreakingly slow and tender. Every time connected body and soul, his vibrant green gaze holding mine.

I remember the despair we both felt when his parents announced they were following their three children to California while Edward and Alice attended USC and UCLA, respectively. Emmett was already at Stanford. How would we see each other with me attending the University of Washington? How could we make it four years, or longer, not living in the same city? Not being in the same state for school breaks and summers?

I remember the searing pain I felt the morning after the big fight. How I ran away to my mother in Phoenix to escape; coming back shortly before I had to leave for college myself and seeing a different family living in the Cullen's house. I remember trying to find Dr. Cullen. I had no idea there were so many doctors in LA. It was impossible to find people back then….no Google, no Facebook.

I remember that at some point, I quit trying to find them. Edward knew where I was, he still had my dad's phone number and he never called. He must have moved on.

Slowly, I moved on too. But my heart was never whole again. It was patched over to some extent by Marcus; by Sophie, Michael and Chase; by Jake; by Angela, Em and MK.

But the gaping hole where the Cullens used to be was still there. I had just learned to live with it.

****

Fuck, how long have we been standing here? Ten seconds? Ten minutes?

Edward starts walking toward us again, his green eyes never leaving mine. Why didn't I insist on drinking that whole damn strawberry sex drink? I could sure use the liquid courage now.

I'm sure Aro knows something's up. I have practically cut off the circulation to his left hand by squeezing it so tightly with both of mine. And he's looking from me to Edward and back again.

Hold it together, Swan! Hey, internal dialogue stayed internal this time. That's a step in the right direction.

I make a concerted effort to stop pulling on Aro's arm and release the death grip I've got on him. Standing up straighter, I decide to fake it 'til I can make it. I smile my biggest smile, never releasing his gaze, and try to use my best business voice. "Edward, it's so nice to see you. I had no idea you were the lawyer Aro brought with him."

"Bella." The smirk is gone. He is all business now, no emotion in the biting green gaze. "I had no idea that Bella DiClemente was Bella Swan DiClemente."

Oh God. Is he staring at my teeth? What if there are strawberry seeds in there staring back at him! I knew that sex drink was a bad idea. Here I am, standing with the Sex God, I mean Edward, and I'm probably grossing him out with my lousy oral hygiene.

Both of us seem to realize at the same time that Aro is drinking all this in and we're acting like awkward teenagers. Edward and I shake hands and he leans down to kiss my cheek. I almost gasp out loud at the current that runs through my body. My synapses seem to remember him just fine. And Lily is accounted for, too. She's doing her best Dionne Warwick impression, singing '_déjà vu, could you be the dream that I once knew'_? I really have to stop thinking of her as a separate entity. I'm starting to worry about my sanity.

Edward releases my hand and I immediately latch back on to Aro's left arm. Lightly, this time, though, as if I might need to steady him instead of vice versa.

"Bella and I went to the same high school, Aro, in Forks, where I grew up," Edward explains.

"How marvelous! You must be old friends, then. This is a reunion of sorts for you two. You must carve out some time this week to catch up. You should have dinner tomorrow," Aro says excitedly.

I give Aro's arm a squeeze. "Don't be silly, Aro. You have my undivided attention this week. I'm sure Edward and I can catch up some other time," I say sweetly, while shooting an icy look at Edward. "Let's go inside and join the others. Shall we?"

Aro and I start up the steps, leaving Edward to follow behind. I hear him mumble something that sounds like "same stubborn woman" under his breath and fight the urge to giggle. But I let the smirk come.

****

Jessica and Tyler, Jake's assistants, arrive right after we get inside and are followed just a few minutes later by James, DiClemente Publishing's general counsel. He's an asshole, but he's never steered me wrong on a business deal. I just have to constantly remind him that _he_ works for _me_.

After all the introductions are made and everyone has a cocktail, I excuse myself to the kitchen to check with Em on the dinner progress. Well, that's what I tell them I'm going to do when I excuse myself. I'm really going to see if we have any tequila left from Saturday night.

Emma is downright bubbly when I get in the kitchen.

"Bells, he's completely gorgeous. If you don't make an attempt to get in that man's pants this week, I will drive you to the asylum myself!" she gushes. Emma never gushes.

"Em, I'm only saying this once and then we will drop it until the guests are gone," I hiss. "This Operation or Objective or whatever the fuck you guys are calling it is aborted. Immediately! Sooner than immediately! It's over. If I was texting this to you, I would be using all caps. Got it? Good. Now help me find the fucking tequila. I need a shot!"

Emma's joyous expression is gone. Now she looks worried. "Bella, I don't think Jose Cuervo will be a good friend for you tonight, hon. Let's not mix too many liquors at a business dinner, okay? Here, suck down this glass of wine and I'll get the bottle to pour you another glass so no one out there will know you were lushin' it up in the kitchen."

I chug the glass of wine and she's back immediately to refill it. "Sips this time, sweetie. Give it a couple minutes to start working. Want to talk about it?" she asks gently.

"No. Fuck no. I will not let this ruin my night, my week or my life. I can drown the hysterical laughter or crying or whatever is trying to work its way out of me in wine for a few hours," I respond. I take two deep breaths, Em reapplies lipstick to my pucker, checks my teeth for seeds (I'm pronounced seedless, thank God) and I head back out to the living room and bar area.

I find Aro holding court from his seat in the big leather chair. Angela has pulled a chair right up to him and is listening intently to every word he says. When she sees me, she looks like she's ready to cry. I guess Aro has filled her in about the hometown I share with Edward. She doesn't know everything about the Edward of my past, but she does know his name and she's a quick girl. Princeton and all. I'm sure she realizes who Edward was to me. Is to me.

I shoot her a big smile and tiny head shake and look around for Demetri. He is standing alone near the bookshelf, seemingly studying the titles of my smallish, but precious to me collection. I pass the bay window where Edward, James and Jessica are talking and hear Jessica's annoying, schoolgirl giggle. I'm starting to see why Angela, Emma and MK can't stand her. Both James and Edward turn toward me as I approach. I smile at them, but continue on toward Demetri.

"Hey, you. I didn't get to really say hi yet," I smile up, way up, at him. He's cute in a boyish way. We've gotten to know each other pretty well during this acquisition process and I really like him.

He pulls me into a one-armed hug. "Hi, Bella. Are you trying to rescue me again? You know I hate the small talk at cocktail parties. Well, I don't hate it, I just suck at it," he laughs.

"Demetri, you never need rescuing. Now, whatcha doing over here by yourself? Are you looking for a book to check out of Bella's library?" I tease.

Still arm in arm, we turn toward the bookshelf.

"Can I interest you in a little Shakespeare? Bronte? Either of the Brownings? The inimitable Mr. Frost? Sorry, my collection isn't very current. Old stuff is more my style," I sigh. "Just ask my friends, they'll tell you I'm a very old, decrepit, shriveled up 33-year-old."

Great. The wine has kicked in just in time for me to start embarrassing myself by failing to edit between my brain and my mouth.

I'm startled when Edward appears on my other side.

"Where's the Austen? You used to be such a fan of Lady Jane," he remarks.

I know where he's going with this. I can't decide if I want to play along or take my ball and go home. Oh, what the hell.

"I just started re-reading _Pride and Prejudice_ last night. So the Austen is on my nightstand," I answer quietly. He knows that is my favorite of the novels. Or at least he knows it used to be…if he remembers.

"I thought it was a six volume set. Did you only keep the one volume?" he asks, in a kind of snotty tone. My daughter has been sent to her room for speaking to me in this tone. She usually slams her door in retaliation. I guess that isn't the best plan for dealing with Edward.

I giggle. I'm not sure if it's the wine buzz or the visual I have of Edward stomping up to my daughter's room and slamming the door.

"No, Edward, I kept them all. They are all in my nightstand, where I keep them all year round because they are special to me. I received them as a gift for my 18th birthday and I don't like to share them. So I keep them hidden away. For my eyes only," I retort in a slightly less snotty tone.

I turn my head to meet his gaze. His lips are slightly upturned. God, he still has the killer smile, even if it's just the half smile, like now. It's better than the smirk, but not quite as good as the lop-sided grin. That's my favorite. He used to know that, which is probably why I'm not getting it now.

I did, however, get the lop-sided grin when I received that six volume set of Jane Austen's collected works on my 18th birthday. He wasn't supposed to buy me a gift, especially anything that expensive. I started to protest and said I was going to return them. He merely hit me with my favorite grin and showed me that he'd inscribed the front of each volume, so I couldn't return them. 'Just say thank you, Bella' he'd said. 'Thank you, Bella' I'd answered, laughing and kissing him with tears running down my face. To this day, it was the sweetest, most romantic gift I'd ever received.

I look more closely at his face. He has small laugh lines at the corners of his eyes. A couple of creases are visible on his forehead. His hair is still the most unusual shade of brownish/red. I look for any grays. None, of course. He's still the most beautiful man I've ever seen. If I had to love him, lose him, and then see him again, why couldn't he be bald by now? Or even better bald and fat? Or better yet, bald and fat with a unibrow? Nose hair? Ear wax? Anything but the utter perfection standing beside me.

I realize that I'm still staring at Edward while he and Demetri converse over my head. I hate being short. Random thoughts present. Yep, still buzzing. I finish the wine in my glass and hope to hell we're eating soon. I'm not ready to let go of my buzz, but I will be on the floor if I don't get some food to start off-setting some of the effects.

As if on cue, Emma enters the room. "We are ready to serve dinner. Would you all please take your seats?"

I love her.

****

**A/N: Thanks for the review, Love Is A Gift! :)**

**Thanks to those who've added story to alerts, also!**

**Next update: tonight or tomorrow**


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight or any of its characters. No copyright infringement is intended. If I did own Twilight, I would drink better wine.**

_Don't get me wrong  
If I'm looking kind of dazzled  
I see neon lights  
Whenever you walk by_

Don't get me wrong  
If I'm acting so distracted  
I'm thinking about the fireworks  
That go off when you smile

_****_

Angela and I escort Aro to the dining room. I will sit at one end of the table and I told Angela earlier that I wanted Aro seated at the other end. I can see by the look on James' face that something about this seating arrangement is not to his liking. I could give a fuck. Get used to it, buddy. My house. My table. My company.

James and I have a little stare-down. He looks away first. I smirk and look around. Edward is smirking back at me and I know he's witnessed this unspoken communication between James and me. I raise one eyebrow at him and am, finally, rewarded with the lop-sided grin.

Angela and Tyler sit on either side of Aro. Demetri and Alec sit on either side of me. Everyone else is in the middle. I see that Skankica has seated herself on one side of Edward and has scooted herself as close as she possibly can without being totally obvious. Go ahead, honey, I think. I know his type and you aren't it.

Then I almost hyperventilate because I realize I may not know his type anymore. What if Skankica _is_ his type now? Oh, God, what if he's married? I'm not sure I can take any more emotional upheaval tonight.

Ben refills our wine. I take a few sips, but I make sure to drink some of my water, too. What's that song about water and wine I used to love? No, it's _The Water Is Wide_. It's an Irish song that Edward used to play on the piano for his mom, and for me. I smile to myself at the memory. When I look up, Edward is looking at me.

"What?" I mouth, raising both eyebrows this time.

"Nothing," he mouths back.

We smile at each other. Le sigh. Clearly, my French has not improved since I took French I as a Senior at Forks High so I could speak zee language of looove to Edward. I never said much more to him than je t'aime and je t'adore, but he didn't mind.

Okaaay, Bella. Time to rein it in and try to follow the conversation at the table.

We've just started the main course when MK crouches down beside me.

"It's so rude of me to interrupt," she begins, whispering quietly so only I can hear, "but do you want to keep your phone here with you at the table?"

I completely forgot I asked her to hold my phone earlier because I haven't heard from the 'rents and children yet today and didn't want to miss their text. And these new jeans have tiny front pockets, not good for holding giant iPhones. But the new jeans do an excellent job of making my butt look good.

"Bella? The text still hasn't come. Do you want to keep the phone?"

"What? Oh, yes, thank you, MK. I would like to keep it here." I smile at her and place the phone beside my plate. I really need to try and focus now.

"Expecting an important call, Bella?" Aro asks from way down at the other end of the table.

I smile and answer, "Yes. Very important. But just a text, not an actual call."

"Jake?" Aro asks suggestively, with round, innocent eyes. What is he up to? He knows Jake and I have been lifelong friends. Being romantic with him would feel like incest. He also knows Jake is getting married in a few months and is flying back from meeting Nessie's grandparents right now. We were just talking about it.

Oh, no. I hope he's not getting forgetful…or senile…or Alzheimer's. His next statement clears it up for me, though.

"You know, Heidi and I are so looking forward to the wedding. I promised Jake we'd be here for both of you if it's at all possible. But only if you save me a dance, missy!" He's purposely being abstruse.

I look around the table. My staff is completely perplexed. They know that Aro knows that Jake is marrying Nessie, but he's totally making it sound like Jake and I have a thing going on.

Aro's staff isn't really paying close attention. Edward is even looking down at his plate and scowling.

Back it up. Edward is scowling. Light bulb moment. Aro is onto us and he's totally fucking with Edward.

I look back down the table and Aro winks at me. Oh my God. Can I please start calling you Grandpa now? I am head over heels in granddaughter love with this man.

"Of course I'll dance with you at the wedding," I reply, beaming at him. "And Jake's flight doesn't get in until late tonight, so I doubt I'll hear from him. He usually just prefers to give me a special wake up call in the morning." I wink back.

Aro grabs his napkin and has a coughing fit into it, which I'm pretty sure is disguising a laughing fit.

I'm not kidding about the special wake up call, either. It's just not special in a good way. Jake gets up at the ass-crack of dawn to run on his treadmill every damn day and that is when he gets most of his epiphanies about life, love and business. All of which he feels compelled to share with someone, usually me. He calls me at least three times a week between 5 and 5:30 a.m.

During one of these phone calls, I screamed at him so much that he choked on his water while he was running and drinking and laughing. I freaked out and called Nessie's cell phone to make her go check on him. He got in so much trouble for waking her up that the phone calls stopped for a while. You can't keep Jake down for long, though.

I vacillate between being flattered that he wants to share his deepest thoughts with me and being offended that he's more scared of Nessie than he is of me, his oldest friend and bosslady. Ang pointed out to me that Nessie is the giver or withholder of sex for Jake, so she trumps bosslady. _I_ would like to point out that I only call myself bosslady when I'm tipsy, which isn't very often. Except for this week.

Sipping my wine, I look up and see that Aro is fully recovered from his coughing and/or laughing. Angela is looking at me and doing her impersonation of Ben's WTF? face. And I am—

Saved by the incoming text message chime!

"I'm so sorry," I apologize. "I need to step out for just a few minutes to take care of this. Please don't wait for me to start dessert."

Em and MK have just started serving the dessert and they both smile at me. I think they must have heard the exchange Aro and I had and deduced that I am up to no good. I'm sure Angela filled Ben in on exactly who Edward is and, really, Ben is so gossipy he might as well be a girl, so I'm sure he passed it along.

I decide to go out to the front porch to read my text. It's not really my fault that I just happen to sit on the porch railing right where Edward can see me from the dining room. I mean, it is my porch. And my dining room. And a free country.

I open the message and get a pleasant surprise: a picture of my babies! They are dirty and sweaty and grinning from ear to ear, holding stringers of fish they caught with Grandpa. I know I am beaming like a fool and my heart tightens so that I have to put my right hand over it to rub at the bittersweet pain. It's a mother's most daunting job: To find joy in her children's independence when she wants nothing more than to hold them close and keep them little. Even when they look like hobos.

The accompanying message is downright wordy, considering it's from my dad.

*******Bells,  
We're having a great time. We're safe and happy. Your text last night was eleven words so you only get nine 2nite. :P Dad**

I throw my head back and laugh at that. From where I'm sitting on the porch rail, I can see Edward. He's looking at me, but I can't read his expression from this far away.

I type a reply to my family.

***Family,  
****Love you all. Miss you all. C ya. Kisses**

I think that will pass without breaking any rules. We had a big discussion about salutations last year. I got them waived as part of the ten word limit. Bella Swan: Master Negotiator. I hit send and hop down from the railing to go back in.

I glance through the dining room window again and that's when I see it. Skankica has turned so her whole body is facing Edward and she has both of her hands on one of his thighs. Oh, hell no.

Deep breath, Bella. He's not yours anymore. Right. But I'll be damned if she's going to screw up my business deal with her overzealous sex drive.

I go back into the dining room where Em and MK are clearing plates now. Everyone is complimenting Em on the food. Everyone except Jessica, that is, who is whispering something in Edward's ear. He seems to be trying to lean away, but she's got a hand around his neck now, pulling him closer.

Angela catches my eye immediately and uses a series of head jerks and eye movements to try to direct my eyes toward Jessica and her slutrocious behavior. Yes, Lassie, I get it. Timmy's in the well. Operation Save Timmy, er, Edward is a go.

"Everyone, Ben has set up some after dinner drinks on the patio, if you'd all like to head that way," I announce.

Edward practically jumps out of his seat. Jessica jumps up, too, and tries to grab onto his arm, but he shakes her off and moves toward Aro to make sure he's steady on his feet. Angela and Edward get on either side of Aro, who's now mumbling about babysitters, and all three make their way toward the patio.

"Jessica, Tyler, I need to speak with you both quickly about tomorrow morning," I say. I'm using the boss voice now and they both recognize it. We step into my home office, across the hall from the dining room.

I pick up a file folder from the top of my desk and hand it to Jessica. "This is the list of amenities that need to be stocked in the conference room by 8:30 tomorrow morning. I would like for you to personally go over the checklist in the morning and correct any mistakes prior to that time."

Jessica's mouth hangs open. This kind of task is way beneath her job title. Are you catching on, sweetie? You are in big trouble with the bosslady. Poor Tyler starts to turn red. I feel bad for dragging him in here, but I may need a witness to this conversation.

"Jessica, your behavior at the table tonight was reprehensible. You could have jeopardized the entire deal with your actions. Therefore, you will not be sitting in on the negotiations this week. I will let Jake know what happened here tonight and he and I will discuss your future with DiClemente Publishing. You can expect to meet with both Jake and me together some time next week. Until that meeting, you will be working in the file room. You are to stay away from the conference room for the entire duration of the negotiations once they begin at 9 a.m. tomorrow. Is that clear?"

"Yes," she whispers. But it's not a contrite whisper. It's a pissed off whisper.

"Tyler, you will need to take over Jessica's responsibilities as they pertain to the meetings this week. Now, I'm sure you'll want to head on home for the evening so you can both be ready to perform your assigned tasks in the morning. I'll tell the others goodnight for you."

They are dismissed and they know it. Tyler has the good sense to thank me politely for dinner. Jessica does not.

****

Out on the patio, everyone's sitting and talking while they finish their drinks. I decide to have one more glass of wine to calm down before bed. I call out to Ben, Em and MK to join us for a drink before the others leave. I pull a chair up next to Aro, or Gramps, as I'm now calling him in my head.

I take a sip of my wine and ask quietly, "What are you up to, Aro?"

He chuckles softly before answering, "Just helping a boy see what's right in front of him before he screws it up again."

"Aro, it was a long time ago. And for the record, I'm the one who screwed it up. Not him." I'm sure he can hear the sadness in my voice.

"Young lady, if there's one thing I know it's this. If a man lets a good woman get away once, he screwed up. If he lets it happen again, when he's been given a second chance, he doesn't deserve her. Ask Heidi when you see her. She'll tell you all about how I screwed up at first, but eventually I deserved her," he laughs. His eyes are twinkling again when he talks about his wife.

Suddenly, I want that one thing more than almost anything else in the world. I want someone whose eyes twinkle when he talks about me.

"Are you going to tell him we were just screwing with him?" I ask.

"Nope. He's a smart one, that boy. He'll get it all figured out before long," Aro winks at me again.

I look up and meet the green eyed man's gaze. He's close by, but talking with Ben, so I'm sure he hasn't overheard our conversation. He doesn't smile at me now, though. I don't smile at him back, because I'm mature like that.

I turn back toward Aro as he continues, "Bella, whether or not you two work anything out, there is something between you. I could feel it in the air as soon as you saw each other. You need to either give it a proper burial or hop on for the ride and see where it takes you. Take him to dinner tomorrow night and at least have your say."

"Not tomorrow. Not in the middle of negotiations—"

"Forgive me for butting in, but you're the closest thing I've ever had to a granddaughter. Getting to know you the last few months has brought both Heidi and me so much joy. We care very much for you, Bella, so that's where I'm coming from when I say this. Screw the negotiations. You know the deal's going to go through. I don't want to sell to anyone but you. We don't even have that many details left to hammer out this week. If you think this man could have a place in your life and you in his, find out now, before it's too late. It's your second chance, too," he says gently.

Tears are pooling once again in my eyes. I take another sip of my wine and glance at Edward. He's looking at me again…or still. He frowns when he sees the tears in my eyes, but I smile at him this time.

I grab my phone off the top of the patio table and say loudly enough for Edward to hear, "So, Aro, you want to see the text I got at the dinner table? It was from my dad. He sent a picture of my kids."

Everyone, including Edward, gathers around to see the picture of my smiling hobo children.

****

**A/N: Thank you to those who've reviewed/favorited/alerted! **

**Since I'm not above bribery, anyone who reviews this chappy will get a special EPOV of the dinner emailed as soon as I can get it written. Want to know who Edward was talking to when he got to Bella's? Of course you do!**

**Chapter 7 tomorrow. :)**


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight or any of its characters. No copyright infringement is intended. If I did own Twilight, I would be somewhere warmer right now!  
**

_Oh, let the rain come down  
Let the wind blow through me  
I'm living in an empty room  
With all the windows smashed  
And I've got so little left to lose  
That it feels just like I'm walking on broken glass_

_****_

"So, you ready to spill it, Bella? They've been gone for over an hour. The dishes are done. The kitchen is clean. And still you are reticent," Emma says, looking up at me from her spot on the floor and taking a sip of her beer.

She lies down on her back and props her feet on the coffee table, bent at the knee, before continuing. "And if I'm going to continue catering your parties, we've got to talk comfort mats for your kitchen. Two days of standing on the tile floor has completely fucked up my lower back."

Yeah, warm and fuzzy Emma never visits for too long at once.

Angela scoots over closer to me on the couch and grabs my hand. "Tell them. It's time," she implores.

"This isn't going to be too graphic, right? I can stay?" Ben asks from his perch on the big leather chair.

"Yes, Perez, you can stay. I promise not to talk about girly parts or periods," I retort. I know he'll just hound Angela for deets later if I don't let him stay.

Mary Katherine comes to sit on my other side, handing both Angela and me a bottle of water. I check my watch, it's just past 10:30 p.m.

"Okay, I'll talk. But I want to be in bed in 30 minutes, no exceptions, okay?"

I give them the abridged version of our young romance, my friendship with his sister, my love affair with his whole family and desire to be one of them. I tell them how I completely lost my shit and fucked it up at the end, stopping short of telling them exactly how nasty I had been to the two most important people in my world.

Angela knew most of that and I am impressed that the other three didn't. Even Ben. She looks at me smugly. I guess she _can_ keep her mouth shut.

Then I tell them about seeing him for the first time in 15 years outside my house tonight and how awkward it was. I fill them in on what Aro said to me tonight about second chances and the conversation that I know Edward and I will have at some point, even if it's just to put the past to rest.

Suddenly, MK sits up straighter and looks at me wide-eyed.

"Wait! _This_ is the brother? The Sex God is the brother of the girl you said you can't quit thinking about?" she squeals.

I nod solemnly.

"Oh my God! If my feet didn't hurt so bad, I would totally do the 'told you so' dance for you," she points at me, "and you," she points at Em. "There is so much to dissect here, cosmically, that I will be up all night. I'll email you a run-down first thing in the morning, though, Bell." She's practically bouncing with excitement.

"But suffice it to say, for now, that your subconscious did know that you two would meet again. Did you feel it tonight, the connection? Is it still there?" she's still kinda bouncing next to me on the couch. My head is starting to hurt.

"You mean is she still hot for him?" Em laughs. "She'd have to be blind not to be. That man is fi-i-ine."

Now they're all looking at me. My face is on fire and I know I must be blushing all the way up to my hairline.

"You did feel it, didn't you? You felt the earthquake." MK again. I'm definitely not answering this one. Next thing I know, she'll be trying to balance my chi or feng shui me or some shit.

"Well, he seemed like a pretty good guy, from the conversation I had with him. And he couldn't stop staring at you," Ben says, looking at me with a wink. Nice save, Ben.

"How did you leave things?" Angela asks before MK can get going again. "I saw him pull you off to the side as they were leaving."

"We just agreed to talk at some point this week, probably after negotiations are completely done," I say. "And he apologized for not telling me earlier tonight that I look beautiful. And he kissed my forehead." I can't suppress the smile that spreads across my face at this memory.

"Okay, I'm going to bed. Tipsy dee and Tipsy dum," I say looking from MK to Em. "I assume you're staying. I don't want either of you driving. Lock up and turn out the lights when you're done, k?"

I take my water and head toward the master bedroom. "Love you all. See you tomorrow," I call over my shoulder.

I keep walking when I hear Angela say, "This Operation is _so_ back on."

****

I'm in my office at 8:15 the next morning when Jake sticks his head in the open door. "Hey, Bells. I got your text that you wanted to talk to me. What's up?"

"Hi, Jake. Come on in and shut the door," I reply.

I quickly fill him in on what happened with Jessica last night, leaving out the fact that it was Edward she was mauling. Edward and Jake knew each other through me and even though they never really hated each other, they never really liked each other either. We agree not to react rashly, but to wait a couple of days to meet with Jessica and come to a decision then.

Jake then wants to go over our contract proposal one last time, but I know I've got to tell him first exactly who will be at this meeting this morning.

"Jake," I begin cautiously, "first I need to let you know that Aro brought his lawyer with him on this trip. And his lawyer is Edward."

"Your Edward?" he asks. I can't read his expression. He doesn't look as mad as I thought he would, that's for sure.

"He hasn't been my Edward for 15 years, Jake. But, yes, Edward Cullen is Aro's lawyer."

"How do you feel about that?" Jake asks softly.

Wow. When did Jake get so mature? The last time we talked about Edward, Jake wanted to hunt him down and remove some of his internal organs. Okay, that was like 13 years ago, but still, this Jake is unexpected. Nessie is getting a good man.

"I don't know, Jake. When I first saw him last night, it was all awkward and kind of snarky. But as the night went on, the tension just kind of dissipated. It felt nice to see him again, I guess. And he does know now that you're the CEO of DiClemente Publishing, so there won't be any more surprises this morning," I laugh.

We move on to discuss our proposal and the things we're willing to give in on. At ten minutes to nine, we decide to head to the conference room. Aro and his staff should be here any minute.

I stand up and put my jacket back on. Angela was right about this charcoal pinstripe skirt and jacket. It's professional and just a little sexy. The black silk blouse and black kitten heel slingbacks complete the outfit. And my new black silk panties and bra make me feel just a little naughty underneath.

"Hello? Earth to Bella? Where'd you go?" Jake laughs, waving a hand in front of my face. "Who is this Lily chick you're muttering about?"

I laugh out loud at my apparent lack of control over my vociferous libido.

"Oh, no. I am so not having this conversation with you," I reply, opening my office door.

Jake is right behind me, his hands on my shoulders. He leans down laughing and whispers in my ear. "Bella, you know you can tell me anything, right? You're not dating a chick, are you?"

I look back and up at him, laughing and reaching up to squeeze his hands where they still rest on my shoulders. I step into the hallway, turning toward the conference room automatically, still looking at Jake...and run right into Edward.

"Whoa!" he says, reaching both hands toward my waist to stop me from falling. He looks up at Jake and immediately releases me.

Jake drops his right hand from my shoulder and extends it toward Edward.

"Edward, it's good to see you, man," he says cordially, as they shake hands.

"You, too, Jake. And I hear congratulations are in order," Edward replies, breaking eye contact with Jake and looking at the enormous Jakepaw still on my left shoulder.

Surprise! Crap. I forgot to tell Jake that Edward may be under the impression that Jake and I are an item. And that we are getting married.

"Yeah, thanks. My girl's finally making an honest man out of me, right, Bells?" Jake laughs.

Why did this seem like such a good idea last night? Oh yeah. Wine. And Gramps.

"Is everyone else already in the conference room?" I squeak. I know I am blushing.

"Yes. Angela sent me to find you two. Said you'd probably be holed up in one of your offices since Jake's been away for a few days," Edward replies, holding my gaze. I think I see a shadow of something cross his face. But it's gone before I can be sure if it was really ever there.

There's a word for people like Angela Weber: Deadmeat.

****

I lead the way to the conference room.

"Turn your phone on silent," I whisper to Ang before taking my seat. "I need to talk to you." I see her flip the switch on the side of her iPhone.

Like last night, I sit at one end and Aro is already seated at the other.

Like last night, James doesn't like being stuck in the center of the table. Not his preferred position of power. It probably didn't help that I didn't answer any of his texts this morning. Goody, he wants to have another stare-down. This time he even narrows his eyes at me a little.

I narrow mine back and tilt my head to the side. Is he going to stick his tongue out next? This is getting old.

Jake clears his throat and James drops his gaze. I win again. I don't even try to stop the breathy chuckle from escaping. I look up to see Aro beaming at me like a Grandpa should. Edward's smirk is back.

"Shall we begin?" I say with a smile. "James, Edward, why don't you two begin and the rest of us can chime in when necessary."

We all open our copies of the proposal and the negotiations begin.

A little while later, I fire a warning shot at Angela via text.

****

***Stop interfering. Ur digging me a deeper hole with E. -B**

***Then tell SG the truth. -A**

*** Grr. I will. Prob doesn't matter anyway. -B**

***Whatevs. SG keeps staring at u and ur legs. **** -A**

******  
**

I put my phone down, signaling that I am done. I uncross and recross my legs. Nervous habit. The last time we had a big meeting in here, Jake said sitting at the glass-top conference table beside me is like sitting front row at Radio City Music Hall for the Rockettes show, except my legs aren't as long and pretty. I punched his arm for that comment. But he's right. I'm constantly moving them. Left leg over. Both feet down. Right leg over. Both feet down. I'm my own personal kick line.

James is reading section something or other of the proposal out loud. I'm barely listening. I know we're offering a good deal and Aro isn't likely to make many changes.

I glance up. Angela's right. Edward's looking at my legs. I uncross and recross. He's still looking.

I look back down at the proposal before Edward can notice me noticing him noticing me.

No giggling, Swan! This is serious bid-ness. TCB. Didn't Elvis have that painted in his bedroom or something? 'Taking care of business, everyday, taking care of business, every way.' I try not to hum, but Jake grabs the pen out of my hand. Oh, I've been drumming on the table, haven't I? Oops.

"Sorry," I mouth to him. I look down the table at Aro. He's amused with my antics, as usual. We both glance at Edward. I uncross, recross. Edward's looking at my legs again. Aro looks down to see what Edward's looking at and can barely contain his laughter.

I get up quietly to get a cup of coffee from the coffee bar that's been set up on the credenza next to the conference table. I stir cream and sugar in for a looong time, until I'm sure that I can pay attention and act like the owner and president of this company instead of a schoolgirl with a crush on the football star.

When I retake my seat, James and Edward are discussing the retention policy for Aro's employees. I know this is the one thing Aro is adamant about, so I interject that all employees will be retained for a period of six months, after which job performance will be evaluated by a team comprised of members of both current companies. Edward looks at me and asks to extend the period to one year. I suggest nine months. He agrees.

Gramps is smiling at me again. I know he's pleased for his employees. I hope he's a little proud of me, too.

James wants to go over the specifics of this plan I've suggested. I leave it to him, Jake, Edward and Demetri to haggle over the particulars.

I reclaim my pen from the tabletop and start doodling in the margins of my copy of the proposal. Hopefully from down the table, I look like I'm making notations, not daisies. And the occasional lily. But they're really hard to draw if you're not artistic, and I'm not artistic. Maybe I could draw sunflowers…Jake takes my pen again. He's like the pay-attention-Nazi today.

James and Edward move on to another subject. It sounds like legal mumbo jumbo to me, but Edward makes it sound good. I always knew he was smarter than he acted in high school.

Jeez. Smart, check. Hot, check. If he's still good in bed, maybe I'll just chain him to the wall in my basement and keep him.

Uh-oh. Where did that thought come from? Can I casual sex Edward? Frowning, I think about it.

No, I don't think so. Not when sex with him used to be so meaningful to me. Not when he used to be everything to me.

I probably have it in me to casual snog him, though. But then I'll want to casual sex him, for sure, because Edward is like potato chips. Once you start with him, it's really hard to stop.

Crap! The potato chip is looking at me. I hope he didn't ask me something because I have no idea what anyone at this table has said for the last ten minutes.

I feel the blush creeping up my cheeks and look helplessly at Jake.

Jake puts his hand over mine on top of the table before saying, "Bella has a hard time concentrating when she's hungry. How about taking an hour for lunch now?"

I smile gratefully into his big, brown eyes, and then turn my head to search for the greenest eyes. Happy brown eyes meet sad green eyes. The sad green eyes glance down at the table where Jake's hand is still covering mine.

****

We agree to eat in the café in the lobby of our office building. Jake goes ahead of the rest of us to get a table set up for our group.

Angela rushes to escort Aro and turns back to look at me, making more Lassie eye movements from me to Edward and back to me. Okay, I get it. It's truth time. I move toward Edward, but suddenly Demetri's calling out to me. I sigh and turn to walk to the elevator with him.

Demetri quizzes me the whole way down about Emma. What? How did I miss this? He's totally got a thing for her. I can't wait to tell her, the little maneater. She wasn't even trying.

Right outside the door to the bistro, Edward grabs my arm.

"Bella? Would you mind if I use the conference room while you guys eat lunch? I have a conference call I really need to take," he says.

"Of course not. Please go ahead. But what about your lunch?"

"I already asked Jane to bring me back something. I can still eat a footlong sandwich in less than five minutes," he grins proudly.

I grin back, then remember Lassie.

"Hey, Edward. I really need to talk to you privately for a second, though."

"Okay, sure, as soon as we're done for the day. I really have to be on this call in five minutes," he replies as he turns back toward the elevator bank. "And can we knock off negotiations around three or so? I don't want Aro to get too tired. He'd never admit it, but he does wear out easily these days."

He's walking backwards to the elevator as he's saying all this to me and he's so cute and sweet that I want to run to him and tackle him and give him a million kisses.

But all I can do is nod my head. I'm rewarded with my favorite lop-sided grin and a wave as he gets back on the elevator.

****

Negotiations go smoothly when we continue. During a short afternoon break, I grab two waters and head for Gramps. I haven't been able to talk to him one on one all day. I plop down in the chair between Aro and Edward, where Alec's been sitting, but he's standing and talking to Angela right now.

"I don't know about you, Aro, but I'm getting sleepy," I say, handing him an open water. "I think it's all the legalese this one's spewing," I tease, pointing my thumb at Edward.

"I'm not worn out yet, missy," Aro replies. "You young people don't have the stamina of my generation." He chuckles. He's baiting me and I know it, but I can't stop myself.

"I have plenty of stamina, thank you. No one has ever complained about my endurance before. In fact, I've been told it's superior," I huff. But my eyes are laughing and Aro can see this. Edward, however, can't. He starts coughing behind me, like he's choking on something. I roll my eyes at Aro.

"O-ho! That's one of my favorite things about you, missy. I never know where your mind will go next. But I'm beginning to learn that the gutter is a pretty good guess," Aro laughs. "I tell you, if I was 50 years younger—"

"You'd be younger than me. I'm no cougar, Aro," I respond coyly.

"I think you need someone younger than you to keep up with your mind, and your, uh, what'd you call it? Superior endurance?" Aro's laughing out loud now. Edward's coughing again and I can't contain it any longer. I lay my head down on the conference table and give in to the giggles. Aro surely can't know this, but Edward is nine months younger than me, a fact he hated when we dated in high school.

I sit up and wipe the tears from my eyes. "You're distracting me, Aro," I chide. "I only came all the way down to this end of the table to tell you that we're going to adjourn for the day in about an hour. Jake has another meeting he has to get to and we've made a lot of progress today."

This is all true. Jake was relieved when I told him we'd be stopping negotiations early today because Nessie wants him to look at flowers and taste cake for the wedding.

"How about I take you to dinner later?" I ask Aro as I stand and take one of his hands.

"Sorry, but Demetri and Jane have already spoken for me tonight. Edward, you should take Bella to dinner tonight. Take the opportunity to catch up, talk," Aro says. Oh, I see what you're up to, Gramps. Mr. Subtle. Setting us up exactly the way you suggested last night.

Edward looks up from his laptop and meets my gaze. "Okay," he says.

"Okay," I reply. It's a date.

****

Sixty-seven minutes later, we adjourn. Angela has called for the limo to take Aro and Edward back to their hotel. The rest of the LA group is deciding what they want to see in Seattle since they have a couple of free hours. Edward is packing up his files and laptop.

Aro has moved into Angela's seat and is regaling Jake and me with tales of his and Heidi's courtship. Twinkling eyes again, talking about his lovely wife. Oh, Gramps, if you were 50 years younger and there was no Heidi, I would snap you up lickety.

The door to the conference room bangs open like someone has kicked it with their foot. Then I see, someone has kicked it with her foot, because her hands are full carrying an enormous vase full of 65 different kinds and colors of flowers. Bakery bags hang off each arm. I see long, curly brown hair, Bohemian skirt, flip flops.

I am in major trouble here.

"Sorry, babe," the person with flowers where her head should be calls. "I thought you were done. Your secretary said I should come on in."

Jake hops up to take the vase and set it on the table. I fight the urge to crawl under the table and hide. Wouldn't work anyway. Stupid glass top table. Angela's laughing at me. She knows I am b-u-s-t-e-d.

"It's fine, honey," Jake tells her, taking the bakery bags now, too. "I want you to meet these people, anyway." He kisses her on the lips and pulls her over to stand next to my chair, in front of Aro.

I notice the twinkle in his eye as he says, "Aro, I'd like to introduce my girl, my fiancée, Nessie. Nessie, this is Aro Volturi."

Damn. Everyone gets the twinkly eyes except me.

I feel Edward's eyes on me before I look up to meet his gaze. His eyes are dark green now. I know that color. It's the color his eyes used to turn when he wanted me. And when he was pissed at me.

Whichever reason they are that color now, I know one thing: I want to get the fuck out of this room.

I grab my phone and hop up, excusing myself to go make some calls from my office. I scoot past Edward's chair quickly.

"Bella," he says softly, "I'll pick you up at six."


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight or any of its characters. No copyright infringement is intended. If I did own Twilight, I would travel more.  
**

**This chapter contains a tiny tongue-in-cheek dig at **_**Breaking Dawn.**_** When I say tiny, I mean tiny. I didn't hate the book; I just had issues with a couple of things. I truly mean no offense to anyone, especially SM. If it will bother you, please don't read.**

_But I fear  
I have nothing to give  
I have so much to lose_

_Here in this lonely place  
Tangled up in our embrace__There's nothing I'd like  
Better than to fall_

****

I arrive home at 4:30 to find my fairy godmothers lying in wait. Why did I ever give them keys?

"Flora. Fauna. Merryweather. Having a clandestine meeting of the 'We Heart Sex God' club?" I ask.

"See? I told you guys, Snarkella is back to stay!" Angela tells Emma and MK.

"We heard about your big date and we came to help you get ready," Mary Katherine offers, handing me a bottle of water. "You go shower and hydrate and we'll take care of the rest."

"It's not really a date," I say. "It's just dinner."

"With the Sex God," Angela says.

"With the Sex God," Em and MK say together, nodding.

"With the Sex God," I agree, rolling my eyes.

They get to me, these girls. I'm smiling as I head for the shower.

****

Fifty-five minutes later, I'm ready, head to toe.

After a lot of discussion (most of which didn't include me), my fairy godmothers and I chose the new black dress I got Sunday. It hits just above my knees and has ruffled cap sleeves and a low but not too low v-neck. It can be dressed way up or way down. We go in between. I get to wear my new, cute jeweled flats and bring my vintage black and white floral cardigan in case it gets chilly. I wear a black bead choker and bracelet that MK got me last Christmas from a funky, artsy jewelry store.

We head out to the kitchen where Angela has lemon drop martinis waiting for us.

"To liquid courage," she toasts. "May it help you say what needs to be said tonight, Bella, so that you and Edward can move forward, however you choose to do that. You deserve it." We all clink our glasses and sip our drinks.

"To following the signs from the universe and listening to your heart," MK toasts next. Clink. Sip.

"To being smart enough not to make the same mistake twice," Em says. I look at her quizzically as I clink and sip.

"Need me to spell it out, Bells?" she asks. "If you let the Sex God get away again, you've only got yourself to blame. I saw the way his eyes lit up every time he looked at you last night. If a man ever looks at me with that sparkle in his eyes, I will knock him the fuck down and drag that mofo to Vegas to hitch me."

Huh? Did she say sparkle? That's sort of like a twinkle, right?

She clinks my glass and says, "Close your mouth and finish your drink. He just pulled up." I obey.

Angela runs to look out the window over the sink and watch the approach of the Sex God. Then she starts laughing so hard that she spills the rest of her drink all over herself.

"Bella," she manages to get out between snorts, "Edward brought you flowers."

"That's sweet. Why are you laughing?" I ask. I suddenly feel like I have to defend Edward.

"Bella," Emma says, turning to look at me from the window where all three of my fairy godmothers have gathered. "Edward didn't just bring you any old flowers. Edward brought you mother fucking _lilies_."

"Kar-ma," Mary Katherine says in a singsong voice, before dissolving into hysterical laughter with the others.

"You know, MK, I'm starting to believe in those signs from the universe," Emma replies.

****

I open the door before he can knock.

"Hi," I say, trying to sound breathysexy instead of squeaky.

"Hi," he says, sounding sexy without even trying, I'm sure.

I move to the side to let him in. He hands me the light pink lilies.

"I brought these for you. It's my way of saying I'm sorry I acted like an ass last night about the Jane Austen books. I'm not sure what I was thinking," he says sheepishly.

"No biggie, Edward. I got you back," I reply, grinning.

"You did. And you had help," he says. He's not looking so sheepish anymore. "I've never heard Aro laugh as much as he did this afternoon during the limo ride back to the hotel. He's pretty proud of himself and his little protégé. He kept mumbling things like 'smart-ass' and 'bad-ass' -- which by the way is not a word I _ever_ want to hear come out of his mouth again, it's creepy -- about you, while I got called 'dumb-ass' and 'head-stuck-up-his-ass'. What exactly have you told him about us?"

"Nothing, I swear," I say, laughing. "Gramps has totally made his own assumptions about us and our sordid past."

"Gramps?" he asks, raising one eyebrow. "You call him Gramps?"

"Only in my head, until now. Wishful thinking, I guess. I'm totally in love with him."

"No way, Swan. I saw him first. If he's going to be anyone's Gramps, it's mine." He's smirking again now. We are united in our love for our wannabe Cupid.

"I want to put these in water. You want a beer or something before we go?" I ask, leading the way to the kitchen.

Shit. Here they sit at my kitchen counter. Don't they ever leave?

The fairy godmothers.

The three witches from _MacBeth. _Knock off the toil and trouble, ladies.

The See No Evil, Hear No Evil, Speak No Evil monkeys.

Who will they be tonight?

Remembering their toasts from earlier, it dawns on me who they remind me of. The Cowardly Lion bestowing liquid courage, the Tin Man advising on predestined love, and the Scarecrow imparting wisdom she didn't know she had.

So where are the fucking ruby slippers that get me back where I suddenly know I want to go?

****

It takes us another half hour to get away from my house. I have to say, though, Edward did a good job considering he was pretty much subjected to the fairy godmothers' version of the Spanish Inquisition.

I could tell they were impressed when they didn't try to give me a curfew. No shit, they have actually done that to my dates before. Okay, they did that to the one date I had before; the 24-year-old feel-me-up guy. He deserved to get curfewed.

"Jesus, they were worse than Charlie used to be," Edward says, opening the passenger side door for me when we finally make it out alive.

"I'm sorry. They are way overprotective of me. They must think you're okay, though. Emma didn't even ask to see your driver's license," I reply. He laughs like I'm kidding. I'm not. That's how we found out how old feel-me-up was.

"So, did you steal this car, or what?" I ask, when he gets behind the wheel.

"It's a rental," he replies. "I'm staying a few extra days. I want to see my parents and Emmett and Alice while I'm up this way."

"They all live here?" I squeak. I had no idea. Breathe, Bella.

"Not here, Seattle; here Washington. Emmett's in Port Angeles, my parents and Alice are all back in Forks. I think my parents have decided to just follow wherever the majority of their children go. If Emmett and I both moved to Chicago, I bet they'd follow us there," he says with a smirk.

I need more booze before I can bear to hear about my almost-family, so I decide to change the subject.

"Edward, about the whole thing with Aro, I _am_ sorry. It got out of hand. I was going to tell you during the lunch break today, but you had that conference call. I hope you won't hold it against Aro. It's my fault it got as far as it did."

"It's okay, Bella. Really. The look on your face when Nessie came bursting through the door today made it all worthwhile." More smirking.

"What is Nessie short for, anyway?" he asks.

I laugh before answering, "I have no idea. According to Jake, Nessie's parents came up with some ridiculous name by combining her grandparents' names and she hates it so much that she has forbidden him to tell anyone, even me, what it is. She told her mom that if her full name was printed on the wedding invitation, not only would her parents be barred from the ceremony, but they would also lose any and all babysitting privileges with future grandchildren. She's a tough chick," I say with respect.

"I would never give my kid some crazy ass name," Edward replies, shaking his head.

"Neither would I," I agree.

"So how does she feel about references to the Loch Ness Monster?"

"Oh, Edward, please don't. I'm pretty sure she has a hit man on her speed dial," I snicker. "I wouldn't want Aro to have to find a new attorney to torment."

****

Dinner goes smoothly. We eat at my favorite little Italian place. It's kind of a hole-in-the-wall, but the food is delicious. And there's wine. And put-you-in-the-mood lighting. Not that I need it. I've pretty much been in the mood since I first saw the Sex God again yesterday.

We keep the conversation light. He tells me about his life in LA. I tell him about my sorta life here.

At dinner, I get the daily text from the travelers.

***Bells,  
Hiked today. Saw lots of animals. Kids have good pics to show you. All good. Love, Dad**

I quickly reply.

***All of you,  
I'm out to dinner. Miss you crazy. Kiss ::mwah:: kiss**

Edward is highly amused by my text and the ten-word rule imposed by the grandparents. Traitor.

When the wine is drunk and the plates are gone, he finally comes at me.

"Bella, are we ever going to talk about what happened?"

"I'd like to," I say, looking down at the tablecloth and picking at the bread crumbs left there. "There are some things I need to say to you. But I don't want to do it here."

We decide to go back to my house. We sit outside in the dark at the patio table. I have a glass of wine for courage and he has a beer.

"Edward, that night," I begin, "that last night, was the worst night of my life. I am so incredibly sorry for all the things I said to you, and to Alice, and I know I can't take it back, but please just know that I'm haunted, _haunted_, by my words. I'm completely embarrassed and ashamed of my behavior. You and Alice were the two most important people in my life, and the way I treated you both did not reflect that at all."

I pause because I'm not sure how much more I want to say. How much more he wants to hear.

"That was the worst night of my life, too," he says softly, picking at the label on his beer bottle. "But not because of the things you said, although they were pretty bad, but because that was the night I lost you. And Alice lost you. Why did you do it, Bella? Why did you throw our relationship away like it meant nothing?"

"I wish I had a good answer for that," I say. Tears have started to run down my face. "I think it must have been fear. Fear that I would lose you anyway, that I wasn't enough, that you would find someone better for you. Fear that I loved you too much… more than you loved me."

"Impossible," he says, lifting his eyes to mine.

That does it. I'm sobbing now. Ugly, wrack my whole body sobs. I lay my head down on the table and give in to them, letting them finally be released from the stranglehold I've had on them since my eyes met the greenest eyes again 27 hours ago.

I feel him gently take my hand on top of the table. He places one of his hands underneath mine and uses the fingers of his other to lightly stroke the back of mine, comforting me. It is such an intimate gesture and one I am sure I don't deserve to receive from this man.

After several minutes, I start to quiet. I wish I had thought to grab a some tissues before we came out here. I can't sit up with my face looking the way I'm sure it does.

I feel him press a cloth into the hand he's holding. I sit up, wiping my face with it, then feel laughter bubble up through the remaining tears.

"Really, Cullen? You carry a handkerchief now? How distinguished," I try to laugh, but it doesn't sound right.

We share a small, sad smile.

"You never called. Not to say you were going away. Not to say goodbye before _I_ went away. Not even to say goodbye to Alice," he remarks, holding my hand again in both of his.

"I wanted to, but I was so embarrassed. Then I couldn't find you. And you never called me either. You knew you could reach me through my dad, but you never called," I reply.

His hands tighten around mine and he frowns for just a second, but then it's gone. He looks down and clears his throat.

"So, will you tell me about your husband?" he asks, looking back at me.

"Yeah, I will sometime, but not tonight," I say quietly. "I kinda just want tonight to be about us, about me being able to say to you what I've wanted to say for 15 years."

"Which is?"

"I'm so sorry. Please forgive me." I decide the simple approach is best.

"Bella, we both said hurtful things. Yes, yours were meaner," he says with a hollow chuckle when he sees me open my mouth to protest, "but the truth is, we can't change what happened. We were just too young to realize what we had, what we were giving up. I think we have to forgive those kids who made such a mess out of something so good and finally let that teenage romance rest in peace. It's time to move on."

Oh God. My heart feels like it is breaking into a million pieces again. Tears are streaming down my cheeks once more and I swallow a big drink of wine to trap the sobs inside.

I wish he would leave so I could get in bed and never get out. But he's still fucking talking. La la la la, I can't hear you, I think in my head. I learned that from my kids. Wait, what's he been saying while I haven't been listening? I thought I heard—

"What was that, Edward?" I ask, afraid that maybe I heard wrong.

"I said I think Aro's right. There is something between us; something more than the remnants of a teenage love affair. I felt it when I first saw you again. I feel it now. I think you feel it, too. And I think we should hop on for the ride and see where it takes us," he says, mesmerizing me with his words and his greenest gaze.

He's still holding one of my hands. He gets up from his chair and moves to the one next to me, so we're side-by-side instead of across the table from each other.

He lets go of my hand and pulls my chair closer to his. He reaches both hands up to cup my face, using his thumbs to wipe away my tears, and bends his head down so that our foreheads are touching and we are looking right into each other's eyes.

"You in?" he whispers.

"Yeah," I whisper back, "I'm in." Lily's in, too. She's doing a twitchy happy dance in Edward's honor. Jesusfuck, he smells good.

"Bella," he breathes, before gently touching his lips to mine.

He kisses me once, twice, more. Slow, gentle, open-mouth kisses. Lord, I forgot how much I like kissing Edward. We're both breathing hard as he rests his forehead against mine again.

"I think I'd better go now," he says, smiling, "or I won't be able to leave. I know we have meetings tomorrow and I have dinner plans tomorrow night, but Thursday to Saturday, I'm free. Spend those days with me before I have to go back to LA? Please?" He stands and pulls me to my feet to face him.

Here's what I heard: 'Blah, blah, blah. I have dinner plans tomorrow night. Blah, blah, blah.' Paging irrational, jealous Bella: This is a 911 emergency.

"What do you mean you have dinner plans tomorrow?" I ask, sneering up at him. The bitch is back!

He rolls his eyes and chuckles. "My parents are in town for a couple of days. They asked to have dinner with me, alone, without the rest of the family there. I'm not dating my mom, Bella." Oh, you're laughing at me, huh, big boy? I give him my best narrowed-eyes, tilted-head, stare-down glare. Inspired by James. Perfected by Bella.

"God, it's sick how turned on I am by that look." he laughs. "Aro's right, you are a spunky bad-ass."

His laughter dies down. My glare turns from icy to hot.

"Bella," he breathes, again. I hope it's an invitation.

"Edward." Mine is a warning: Back up or prepare for attack. He doesn't back up.

I launch myself at him, throwing my arms around his neck, grabbing fistfuls of his hair to drag his mouth to mine. He wraps both arms around my waist, holding me tightly and lifting me off the ground as our mouths meet, lips and tongues moving together. Apart. Back together. We bump our front teeth together, trying to get closer to each other.

God, I've missed this. God, I've missed _him_. He tastes like garlic and beer and it's the best fucking thing I've ever tasted. Everything I cook from now on will have garlic and beer in it, I vow.

I move one hand from his hair to his jaw and hold it gently, loving the feel of his stubble against my fingers. He sets me back on the ground, but doesn't release me. He is slowing the kiss, though, taming the frenzy we were in moments ago.

He breaks the kiss and pulls me to him, holding me close for a moment before stepping back. He reaches for my hands and intertwines our fingers, looking at me and grinning my favorite way. I can't stop myself from grinning back. His eyes are dark green, like they were earlier today in the conference room. This time I'm fairly certain it's not because he's pissed at me.

"Baby, I _have_ to go. I cannot represent Vulture Publishing tomorrow if I stay any longer. There will be a conflict of interest if this goes any further."

"I know. It's okay," I reply, still grinning. He called me 'baby'. I smile at him and raise up on my tiptoes to kiss his lips one more time. Or eight more times.

"Um, I'm pretty sure your friends are spying on us from Angela's window," he murmurs against my lips, never breaking contact.

I pull away and sigh heavily. I expected nothing less from them.

"We'd better get you out of here then," I laugh, "unless you want to stick around for the third degree. Emma is always 'bad cop'."

I turn to see if they're still watching out the window, and instead see them heading across Angela's backyard toward us.

"Shit! Run, Edward!" I whisper.

He lets go of one hand, but grasps the other tighter and we race in the back door, through the house and out the front door to his car, laughing the whole way.

He leans down and kisses me once hard on the lips and once soft on the forehead before letting go of my hand.

"Goodnight, Bella. Sweet dreams," he says before shutting the car door and pulling away.

I stand in the circle drive and watch his taillights until they disappear around the bend in the street. I stand there grinning my stupid grin even when I sense my friends standing behind me.

"So, good date there, Bells?" Bad cop Emma is starting off nice, enticing me to make a full confession.

"Fuckin' A," is my only reply.


	9. Chapter 9

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight or any of its characters. No copyright infringement is intended. If I did own Twilight, I would have a personal chef.**_

_Things will be better this time around  
__Bridges we build won't break down  
__Feelings won't be kept inside  
__We'll open doors, nothing to hide_

****

I flatly refuse to answer any questions about the dinner or the patio kissing. This does not please the fairy godmothers. They are now ticked at me and fawning over Edward. Fucking fangirls. Oh, who am I kidding? I'm a fangirl, too.

I tell them all that I will share details tomorrow night if they'll go to dinner with me. Tonight, though, I want to be left alone to commit every single thing that happened with Edward to memory.

I decide not to brush my teeth before bed because my mouth still tastes a little like Edward. I briefly consider sleeping in my clothes because they smell like him, but decide that's going a little overboard. I pick up my Jane Austen from the nightstand and open the front cover to read what Edward wrote all those years ago.

****

_Dear Bella,_

_I read this book before I gave it to you. So when you read it, know that my fingers have touched these same pages, my eyes have read these same words. Every time you touch it, read it, it will be like we're doing it together._

_Happy 18__th__._

_ILY,  
__Edward (Mr. Cullen)_

_P.S. Don't be mad, but I didn't understand most of the book. Alice hit me with it when I told her that. ha ha _

_****_

I trace the words lightly with my finger, as I do each time I read the inscription. I smile when I think of how we shortened "I love you" to ILY before there was such a thing as texting. I chuckle when I think how much we said "ily" to each other back then and how it rhymes with Lily. Lily hears this and reminds me what _she_ wants.

I sigh happily when I realize that if Lily and I have anything to say about it, Angela's Operation GBLTW is a done deal. And there's nothing casual about it.

****

James comes to my office early Wednesday morning to argue about the LA trip tentatively scheduled for next week. Jake and I are planning to fly to Los Angeles to sign the final sale papers and meet with the employees at Vulture Publishing. As usual, James doesn't like my plan. As usual, I don't really care, except that I woke up in a fanfuckingtastic mood this morning and he is ruining it.

"Bella, you should not go down there unrepresented. It is my professional opinion that you should allow me to come along to look over the final documents before you sign them," he states icily.

"James, it's unnecessary. We can email the documents to you and you can look over them from here. I promise I won't sign anything until you give me the okay."

I can tell by looking at him that this is unsatisfactory to him. I'm not giving in. I open my office door and stalk toward the empty conference room. James is hot on my heels.

"Why are you shutting me out this week, Bella?" he growls. "Is it this hotshot lawyer from LA? Just because you two were friends in high school doesn't mean he won't try to screw you now."

I almost giggle. I am most certainly hoping he _will_ try to screw me.

"No, James. But the meetings Jake and I are having in LA don't concern you. If you're that worried about the sale documents, let's just sign the fucking papers today!" I say testily, my back still turned to him.

"There's our girl."

Good mood rebound, courtesy of Gramps.

I turn around and give him my biggest smile. He's beaming back at me as he walks forward, carrying his cane instead of leaning on it. Edward is right behind him, and as our eyes meet, I think I might see a twinkle there. And I think I feel my panties melting.

Aro grabs my hand and leans in to kiss my cheek.

"Good morning, Aro," I say, air kissing him as he makes contact with first one cheek and then the other. "Edward," I say to the panty-melter.

"Morning, Bella," he replies. Ah, my favorite grin again.

We all fix ourselves coffee and take our seats to wait for the rest of the group. My phone chimes and I look down to see I have a text from Em. I have a sudden inspiration.

****

***Hey Cinderbella. I'm thinking guac and margs at 6, k?**

***K. Busy today?**

***Not really, Y?**

***Could U do lunch for 10? Noonish?**

***Only 4 U :) ****Where?**

***My conf rm. C U then?**

***K. R U up 2 smthg?**

***Who, me? :) ****mwah**

****

With a giggle, I put my phone down and look up. Aro, Edward and James are all looking at me.

"What?" I ask, feigning innocence. "Where is everybody else? It's time to get started."

Just then they all come filing in.

"Sorry," Jake says. "Our elevator got stuck between floors. Luckily we had Angela's voice with us. You know those guys in maintenance will move heaven and earth, and apparently elevators, for Angela's voice."

"No problem. I was just finalizing lunch while I was waiting," I say, glancing sideways at Demetri. "I thought we'd have it brought in today. Emma's catering."

Demetri jerks his head up to look at me, but I've moved my gaze to Jake. I see Demetri turning red out of my peripheral vision.

"Is she making my favorite chocolate cake?" Jakes asks hopefully. I laugh. Jake's stomach trumps all business as far as he is concerned.

****

The morning drags on and on. I would never have the patience to be a lawyer. The tedious picking over every detail in this contract is b-o-r-i-n-g. Finally, it's lunchtime. Jake and Tyler get up to help Emma carry in the food. I know what Jake's up to. He wants first dibs on the chocolate cake if she brought any, which of course she did, because Jake really is irresistible in an annoying little brother kind of way and she knows it's his favorite.

While she's setting up the food table, I make a beeline for Demetri.

"Here's your big chance, buddy. Talk to her. She's not dating anyone right now, although I will warn you that she doesn't have boyfriends; she has hit and run victims."

He smiles, but says, "Someone like her would never go out with someone like me."

"You're right. You're tall, handsome, smart, sweet, and have a great job. What a loser," I deadpan. "Come on, just ask her out. You'll be back here in two weeks for the quarterly meetings. Take her to dinner. You'll never know if you don't take that chance." Gramps the romantic is rubbing off on me.

"Thanks, Bella." He smiles at me again and heads off toward Emma.

"Water?" Edward asks, suddenly appearing and holding out a bottle for me.

"Thank you."

"That was a good thing you did for Demetri," Edward says softly.

"Yeah. Too bad Emma will just steamroll him. She's not a relationshippy kind of girl."

"I don't know, Bella. She looks pretty interested from here."

Edward is right. She does look interested, smiling, giggling, touching his arm. Maybe it's something in the water this week. I raise the water bottle in my hand and take a big drink.

"Here," Edward says, handing me a file folder. "I wrote down my cell number and email address. Maybe you could put my contact info in your phone while you're down at your end of the table not paying attention to what I'm saying this afternoon," he says with a smirk. "Text me so I can have your number? I want to be able to call and say goodnight to you tonight."

"If what you were saying wasn't so boring, I could pay better attention," I retort, trying not to smile.

"Whatever. Are you gonna do a drum solo on the table again today?" he says, laughing.

"Probably. Any requests?" I snicker.

"No. I think I'd like whatever you did," he replies quietly. Oh, now he's trying to melt the panties again.

"Okay, mister, I'll text you but you'd better not read it at the table. You'll blush and we'll get in trouble with the teacher for passing notes," I say, grinning. "And I'm going out with my girls tonight, so if I don't answer the phone it's because we're having too much fun and can't be interrupted by distracting boys. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to eat lunch with my Gramps," I wink and turn to walk away, looking back over my shoulder to see if he's watching me. He is.

****

By early afternoon:

Demetri and Emma have a date set up for when he comes back in two weeks. I'm totally going to fairy godmother her and give her a taste of her own medicine.

Jake is happy. He got his chocolate cake.

James is still not going to LA with Jake and me next week. He's still trying to wear me down, though.

Angela has promised to do things that I don't want to know about with Ben if he will drop us girls off at dinner tonight and then pick us up several pitchers of margaritas later. He's agreed, of course, because she used her sexy voice.

I have started my Rockette leg thing again. I did a pretty good job of staying still this morning, but I have had too much coffee to hold still any longer. Edward is watching the show, again.

I programmed Edward's info into my phone during lunch, so I decide to text him now because I truly am bored and incapable of paying attention to the legal shit.

*

***E – ICU staring at my legs. Want 2 know what I'm wearing under my skirt? –B**

*

Smiling, I hit send, grateful that I told him not to read it at the table.

His phone buzzes and he picks it up from the table top as he listens to James asking Alec questions about some of the financial aspects of Vulture Publishing.

Oh, shit. He's going to read it…here…at the table…in front of everyone. He turns red, as I predicted. I _told_ him not to read it at the table.

My phone vibrates. He's good. I didn't even see him type a reply.

*

***B – Ur killing me. Yes I want 2 know. –E **

*

I'm not as good at surreptitious texting. I'm also not as good at hiding my facial expressions. Out of the corner of my eye, I can see Angela's shoulders shaking with silent laughter. Princeton.

*

***E – Told u not 2 read at table…nothing. –B **

*

He reads it again. Boys never learn. His eyes dart to mine. I arch one eyebrow. He looks pale this time, like all the blood has rushed from his head to…somewhere lower. Good. I've spent the last two days in a permanent state of arousal. Buzz.

*

***B – fuck --E **

*

I look down the table to him. He's guzzling his water like he's dying of thirst.

*

***E – Funny, that's what I was thinking. –B**

*

His face tightens as he reads this one. He closes his eyes. I see his Adam's apple move up and down as he swallows a couple of times. He sets his phone down beside his laptop. I guess he's done playing.

Buzz. My phone again. From Angela this time.

*

***B – Nice web, Spiderella. –A **

*

I channel Elvis. Thank you. Thank you very much.

****

Shortly after 3 p.m., we are finally done. After overhearing the conversation this morning, Edward suggests that James prepares the final documents and sends them with Jake and me to Los Angeles next week. My hero!

The limo will take Aro, Alec, Jane and Demetri to the airport. Edward drove his rental car here this morning and brought Aro, which is why they weren't trapped on the elevator with the others. I hug Aro goodbye and shake hands with the others. I want to hug Demetri and talk to him about Em, but since I'm basically his boss as of next week, I decide to wait until other employees aren't hanging around.

After they've gone, I tell Jake and Angela that I'm heading home.

I turn to Edward, "Where'd you park?"

"The lot on the next block," he replies.

"I'm in the underground lot. You want a ride to your car?" I ask, feeling suddenly shy.

"Yeah, thanks."

As soon as we're in the elevator, he turns to me. "Closed circuit?" he asks.

"No, there aren't cameras in the elevators in this building," I answer.

"Thank you, Jesus," he exhales, setting down his laptop case and sliding one arm around my waist and the other hand up the nape of my neck . Then his lips are on mine, crushing mine. He sucks my top lip in between his – God, I forgot he used to do that – and uses his tongue to trace all along my trapped lip.

He releases my lip and moves his mouth along my jaw, to my left ear, causing goose bumps to erupt down the entire left side of my body.

"I've wanted to do that all day," he whispers roughly, "even before you started texting me. But since the texts, fuck, Bella, I wasn't sure I could wait. And I'm not even sure if you were kidding. Were you, Bella? Are you naked under this skirt?"

"Edward, everyone is naked under their clothes." I laugh breathily.

"You know what I mean, baby," he groans.

"I was kidding."

"Thank God."

"I'm wearing a black thong."

"Mother—"

I don't let him finish that. I grab both sides of his jaw and pull as hard as I can until his lips are mashed up against mine again. This time I'm the lip sucker. And licker.

Too soon, the elevator bell dings and it comes to a stop. Why couldn't Edward and I be the ones who got stuck on the elevator?

He lets go of my neck but keeps the arm around my waist, bending me with him as he picks up his case. We walk slowly to my Land Rover. I use the remote to unlock it and he comes around to the driver's side to open the door for me. Now my heart and my panties are melted.

"So, you're going out with the girls tonight?" he asks, grinning at me as we pull out of the garage.

"Yep. Mexican food, margaritas and Ben to drive us home. Pretty rockin' for a Wednesday," I answer, grinning back. I can't help it. "You're still going out with your parents?"

"Yeah. But I'll call you later. If you can't answer, I'll at least leave you a message, ok? And will I see you tomorrow? You never answered me about spending some time together."

"I have a quick meeting tomorrow morning, but otherwise I'm free," I say. "I do want to spend time with you, Edward." Then I ask the question I'm most afraid of him answering. "Are you going to tell your parents that you've seen me?"

"Actually, my mom already knows. I talked to her yesterday before we went to dinner. What's that look for? What are you so worried about? They've missed you, too. Just like me." He picks up my hand from the console in between us and kisses it.

"I don't know if my mom told my dad or not; he wasn't with her when I talked to her. He's here for a seminar on some new surgical tool that I will have to hear way too much about at dinner tonight," he says with a grimace.

"Hey! Welcome to the last two days of my life, Cullen. I've heard enough lawyer-speak to last me for awhile. Feel free to use any of my proven methods of distraction to amuse yourself: table drumming, daydreaming, dirty texting." We pull up next to his car.

"I am definitely a fan of the dirty texting," he says, leaning over to kiss me softly. "I'll call you. Have fun tonight. Tell the spies hi for me."

Smiling, I watch him until he's in his car, then drive away. I know it hasn't even been 48 hours that he's been back in my life after an absence that lasted almost half of it. Yet, somehow, it just feels so right being with him. I vow to myself that I will not be the one to screw it up this time.

****

I get the daily text shortly after arriving at home.

***Bella,  
****Was that a date last night? Anyone we know? Great day today. Kids miss you but are fine. Love u! G'ma**

I type a quick and vague reply.

***My family,  
****Sorta. Sorta. Miss u too. Have fun and be safe.**

I am not ready to discuss Edward with my kids or the grandparents. For once, I am grateful for my ten word limit.


	10. Chapter 10

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight or any of its characters. No copyright infringement is intended. If I did own Twilight, I would have more parties.**_

Standing at the crossroads  
Trying to read the signs  
To tell me which way  
I should go to find the answer  
And all the time I know  
Plant your love and let it grow

****

"So, is the Sex God a good kisser?" MK asks, as soon as we're seated at dinner.

"Jeez, Mare, get right to the point," I grumble.

"MK, you saw Bella practically attack him on her patio last night. Bella's got good taste. He must be a good kisser. Right?" Angela says, looking at me for verification.

I know I'm blushing, but I can't contain it anymore. "His skills are superior," I answer simply. "Hey, Em's got a date with a hot LA guy, too!" I add, going for the deflection.

Success! The first pitcher of margaritas is spent discussing Demetri. I study Emma carefully. I think Edward's right. She's definitely interested…possibly even smitten.

We're back to Edward and me for the second pitcher. I tell all. My girls are fully back in fairy godmother mode again, oooh-ing and ahhh-ing in all the right places. They laugh uncontrollably about the dirty texting and my elevator undie confession.

"Wow. We've successfully corrupted Bella in only five days," Angela laughs.

"Nah. She always had it in her. We just stood her in front of the Sex God and he did the rest," Em argues. "That man is so hot he could probably 'poof' the chastity belt off of a Victorian virgin just by smiling at her."

I blink blankly at her. Before I have to respond, my phone buzzes with a new text.

***B- Hey you, having fun? --E**

***E- Yep. U? --B**

***B- Yes. Want to know what I'm wearing under my pants? –E**

***E- Better not be some other girl's lipstick. –B **

***B- U have a dirty mind. Wish I was with u and the black thong. –E**

***E- No room at our table. Only my girls and Jose. –B **

***B- Jose? --E **

***E- Cuervo. –B**

***B- Mom wants 2 know y I keep laughing. She says hi. –E **

***E- Ew, you txted abt my thong with ur mom there? --B **

***B- I'm very sneaky. She wouldn't have known if u weren't so funny. –E **

***E- Tell her hi. Eat ur dinner. Talk 2 u l8r. –B **

Beaming, I lay my phone back on the table. The fairy godmothers are looking at me again.

"Can't stop smiling. Very giggly," Angela says.

"Texting about her non-granny panties," Em chimes in.

"Eyes light up at the mention of Sex God's name," MK adds.

"Our little Bella is falling for the Sex God," Angela concludes.

"Yep," MK agrees.

"Definitely," Em nods.

"Absofuckinglutely," I say.

****

After the third pitcher of margaritas, we call Ben to come get us. It's still early, so the girls (and Ben) ask to stay for awhile at my house. I agree, but head to my room to change from my going out clothes to my favorite holey jeans and big comfy tee.

When I emerge, Angela has passed out drinks and MK has found the disco playlist on my iPod.

"Disco sucks," Ben complains.

"But it's the most fun for dancing and I'm in a dancing kind of mood," MK responds.

One and a half drinks later, all us girls are dancing and singing _Hot Stuff _to Ben. He's used to it. He's been the only guy routinely invited to our girls' nights for more than two years now. As long as he's allowed to drink with us, he's happy to be entertained by us. MK pulls me up to stand on the coffee table with her and we shake our booties, holding onto each other and laughing.

"Hello?"

Shit. My bootie shaking stops immediately and I turn to see the Sex God in the doorway.

"I did knock. I just don't think you could hear me," he explains, probably mistaking the horror on my face for anger, and running his hand through his hair nervously. God, that's so sexy.

I realize there's no way for me to gracefully get off this coffee table given my somewhat inebriated state, so I crook my finger at Edward. "Come here," I say. He does.

"I'm sorry to interrupt. I just couldn't stay away any longer. I'll go if you want," he says.

"I want you to stay," I lean down to say softly to him, wrapping my arms around his neck. "Stay." I kiss his lips softly. "Please stay." I kiss him again.

"Well, since you asked so nicely…" he says, smiling and kissing me once more.

"Catch me!" I say lightly, hopping down to him and wrapping my legs around his waist. He does, wrapping one arm around my waist and the other under my ass.

"Always, Bella. I'll always catch you," he chuckles quietly. I heard him, but am distracted by how freaking good he smells…and looks…and tastes. Yep, I'm sucking on his neck, I realize. I stop and lick the spot I was sucking then lean back to look at him.

"Thanks. Want to put me down now?" I ask.

"Not really. Do you want me to put you down now?" he asks back.

"Not really." We grin idiotically at each other. I dive in to kiss him again, saying with my lips and tongue what I can't say out loud. His fingers have found the hole in my jeans right under my right cheek. I feel his fingers softly stroking the skin there and moan out loud, too tipsy and too smitten to care that my friends are in the same room.

"All right, you two. This has gone far enough. Put her down, SG. I think you two need to cool off a little," Emma says.

We ignore her and continue kissing.

"Isabella, you know I will go ninja on your asses if I have to. Get the fuck down for a minute. I promise I'll give SG back in a little bit," Emma threatens. She's such a bully.

I pull back from the kiss. "She's serious. She'll _hurt_ us," I laugh, pulling my legs from around his waist and sliding down to the ground. He slowly removes his fingers from the hole in my jeans and takes the bottle of beer Emma is holding out to him.

"Huddle, ladies," MK calls and before I realize what's happening, the fairy godmothers have abducted Edward; Emma pulling his arm, Ang and MK pushing from behind, and disappearing into my bedroom. They shut and lock the door.

"What are you doing?" I yell, pounding on the door. "Let him out or let me in!"

"Oh, relax. We're not hurting him, Bells. We'll let him go in a few minutes…if he's good," Em chuckles. I can hear MK giggling in the background.

Ben comes up behind me. "Come on, Bella, let's sit. You know they won't let him out until they're through with him. But they like him; they'll be gentle," he adds with a laugh.

Defeated, I take my margarita glass from Ben and drink it down.

****

Exactly 22 minutes later, they finally emerge from my room. Emma strides out first, shooting me a haughty, self-satisfied smirk. I give her my James glare. Judging by her laughter, she is not frightened. Angela follows behind, smiling warmly at me. MK and Edward are walking together and talking quietly, smiling.

His hair is more of a mess, indicating that he's run his hands through it a lot, but he looks otherwise unscathed. When our eyes meet, he aims the lop-sided grin at me and says simply, "I passed."

****

I know it's a bad idea, but I agree to play Em's favorite drinking game anyway. I don't really understand this stupid card game, which is why I usually end up being the drunkest. Edward promises to help me, but I still have to do three shots of tequila.

Multiple shots of tequila make me giggly. And handsy. Edward doesn't seem to mind either side effect.

We are sitting next to each other at my kitchen table, one of my legs draped across his, both of my arms wrapped around his arm. I sigh contentedly.

"Having fun, baby?" he asks, looking and me and smiling. He's only had to do one shot. He is not drunky like me. I giggle.

"Mmhmm," I answer, pulling on his arm until he bends to kiss me on the lips. "Want to stay over and fool around?" I ask against his lips.

"Sure…and no," he says against mine.

What? Hurt, I pull back and look into his eyes.

Cupping one side of my head with his hand, he leans in to whisper roughly, "Bella, I want to stay tonight, but I'm not fooling around with you for the first time in 15 years when you're drunk. There are things I want to say to you, do to you, that I want you to have a fucking clear memory of the next morning." Desire courses through my body at hearing his words, settling between my legs. He kisses my ear, kisses my lips, then sits up to smirk at me.

"Jesusfuck," I whisper. Lily, you're gonna have to wait at least one more day. I think she's crying.

****

"You wanna go outside and get some air?" he asks a little while later. My buzz is wearing off and I'm feeling a little sleepy. I nod.

We go out and sit down in a chaise by the pool; he sits first and I stretch out between his legs, resting my back against his chest. Our hands are intertwined and resting on his thighs.

"Talk to me," he says in my right ear, before kissing it and resting his head against mine.

"About what?"

"Marcus?" he asks softly, squeezing my hands and planting a kiss in my hair. I wonder briefly if he knows that it will be easier for me to talk about this when I don't have to look him in the eyes.

So I talk. I tell him about meeting Marcus right after I graduated from college. He was 42, I was 22. We became friends, we dated, we slept together. He proposed unexpectedly. He wanted marriage and children. He knew that I wasn't in love with him; he wasn't in love with me either. But we got along very well and he thought friendship and companionship could be enough for both of us.

I had only been in love once, with Edward. It had ended horribly. My parents had once been passionately in love. That also ended horribly. I started to think that maybe Marcus was onto something. I agreed to marry him.

I got pregnant with the twins shortly after the wedding. I was happy being a mom, but Marcus and I were more like roommates than lovers. Chase was born about two years later and after that, I basically moved out of the master bedroom, preferring to sleep up on the second floor with the kids instead of on the main floor with my husband. I knew that he loved me as a companion and friend and I felt the same, but I felt that I had settled for a marriage that lacked passion, both emotional and physical.

I tell Edward how horrible it was when we found out Marcus was sick and that he wouldn't recover. How he tried to teach me everything about his publishing company in the months he had left so I could run it after he was gone. He fervently hoped that one day the children would want to follow in his footsteps. I tell him how I found that I actually liked running the company, especially with Jacob and Angela, who were already in place, to help me.

I talk about how excruciating the last few weeks of Marcus' life were and how I had struggled for the three years since his death to rebuild my life as a single mom and a single woman.

At some point during my monologue, Edward wrapped his arms around me tightly, holding me close and continuing to plant kisses in my hair.

"Baby, I'm so sorry you went through all that," he says softly, rocking us slowly, gently, from side to side.

"Edward, no offense, but if you don't stop shaking me, I'll puke," I say, breaking the solemn mood.

"Sorry, sorry," he says with a chuckle.

"You know what the one of worst parts was?" I ask, serious again.

"What, love?"

"My parents. Through planning my wedding and all of the wedding activities, they started talking again. They discovered that they were still madly in love with each other and it had just been their stubborn refusal to compromise about _anything_ that had caused the divorce. Their dreams of true love came true just as mine were dashed. I made my decision to marry Marcus based on a fucking faulty premise. And I was pissed, _really_ _pissed_, at them for a long time for that reason. My dad moved to Phoenix with my mom right after the wedding and they got remarried two months later."

"You've forgiven them now." It's a statement, not a question.

"Yes. When Marcus got sick, when we knew he was dying, they dropped everything and moved up here to help me, help the kids. It's probably the first time in my life that Renee acted like a parent. And they are so good to me now. They are wonderful grandparents. Marcus didn't have any family left. He was an only child of only children, just like me, and his parents were both dead when I met him. So Charlie and Renee were all we had as far as blood relatives went. I feel compelled to give my kids more of a support system than I had though; they have Ang and Ben, Jake and Nessie, MK, Emma. They're the best pseudo aunts and uncles any kids could have."

"You're a great mom, Bella. Your friends told me," he says quietly but firmly.

"What was that about, anyway? What did those little kidnappers do to you in my room?" I ask, leaning to the side to look back and up at his beautiful face.

"I'm not allowed to say under penalty of bodily harm." He's trying not to smile.

I narrow my eyes at him and say, "Come on, Edward, I won't tell them that you caved."

"Nope. Emma threatened some body parts that I'm very attached to, so you won't be getting any info out me," he says with mock seriousness. "She's a scary, scary girl." Now he is serious.

"Truer words, my friend, truer words," I laugh, snuggling back into his chest. "What about you? Any ex-wives or serious girlfriends in your past? Or present?"

"No wives, no ex-wives, no present girlfriends. I've had a few long-term girlfriends, but no one that I was serious enough to really think of marrying. I just didn't feel it, you know? What my parents have, what Alice and Jasper and Emmett and Rosalie have. That's what I want," he says earnestly.

"You didn't settle," I say quietly.

"Bella—"

"No, it's okay. I can't regret the path I chose. Marcus was a good man and I got three great kids. And I'm here now, with you," I say, swinging my legs to one side and turning my body so I can get my arms around Edward. I hug him tightly and press tiny kisses all along the left side of his neck.

"So Alice and Jasper, Emmett and Rosalie, they made it?" I ask, happy for my almost-family. The six of us has been inseparable that final summer, until I ruined everything. I was genuinely pleased for Edward's siblings and their soul mates.

"They did. Married, jobs, kids, the whole deal," he answers with a smile.

"We're the only ones who didn't make it," I remark with sadness.

"Bella? Don't look now, but we're hanging out, holding hands, kissing. I don't think our ending is written quite yet," he says with shining eyes. "We get to choose what happens next."

I smile up at him before pressing my lips to his.

****

Angela and Ben come to find us to say goodnight. I get up and Ang pulls me toward the gate, saying "Walk half way with me," while simultaneously giving Ben the 'I want to talk to Bella alone' look. She uses it a lot. Ben gets it and starts asking Edward questions about life in LA.

"Okay, spit it out," I say when we're far enough away from the guys.

"All right," she says. "I'll make it short and sweet. That's a great man standing over there with my man. Bella, he's more than just a Sex God." We walk through the gate and a little way into her backyard.

"I know," I respond. "He's terrific. He's the same as I remember, but different, too. I know that makes no sense. This whole thing makes no sense. This week has been such a whirlwind…it's too fast, too much, but I love it. And I'm scared to death that when my kids get home I won't be able to balance this, won't be able to be 'mom' and this woman that Edward seems to like."

"You'll find the balance, Bell. We'll help you. Edward will help you, if you let him. He wants this, too. Trust yourself, your feelings," she says.

"I feel like I don't know what to do, where to go next. Ang, I don't want to lose him again." I say, stopping and turning toward her.

"Bella, you're going to figure it all out. Just give it some time," she says, hugging me tightly. "Now for the important question: Does he make you want to drop your panties in two minutes or less?" She leans back to look at me.

"Angela, he makes me want to drop them so fast that I'm thinking of never wearing underwear again just so I won't have to waste time taking them off," I answer. We both laugh.

"Is it safe to come out now?" Ben asks, pretending to hide behind the gate. Edward is right beside him.

"Yes, Ben, take me home. See you tomorrow, Bells. Love you!" Angela says as she wraps her arm around Ben's waist and turns toward her house.

"Edward, take good care of our girl," she says over her shoulder.

"Yes, ma'am, I intend to," Edward replies, smiling into my eyes and taking my hand to walk back inside my house.

****

The house is quiet and dark when we get back inside. I know Emma and MK are here somewhere; they were already planning to spend the night before I asked Edward to stay.

"Do you run this boarding house all year long?" Edward asks. Apparently he realizes they're still here, too.

"No," I laugh. "They don't stay over very often when the kids are here, but are usually here almost full-time when the kids are out of town. I don't let them drink if they're going to drive. And I like the company when the kids are gone," I admit.

We go inside my bedroom and I shut the door quietly, suddenly nervous. Edward slides his arms around me from behind.

"Bella, are you sure this is okay, me spending the night?"

"Yes, I want you here," I say, turning in his arms and looking up at him. "I want you."

His eyes darken immediately and, groaning, he bends to kiss me, opening my lips with his tongue. He lifts me off the ground and walks to the bed, never releasing my mouth. He lays back on the bed with me on top of him before rolling us so that he's hovering over me, one of his legs in between mine.

"God, Bella, I want you too," he murmurs against my lips. He slides his lips along my jaw and down my neck before continuing. "But not tonight, with both of our senses dulled by tequila. Not with Emma and MK in the house. I don't want to have to be quiet. I don't want _you_ to have to be quiet. In fact, I'm planning to make sure that you're very, very loud."

"Edward," I groan.

"I know, baby," he answers. "It's going to be worth the wait, I promise." He rolls off me, lying beside me and grabbing my hand. He holds our intertwined fingers over his heart and I smile when I feel it racing just like mine. We turn our heads to look at each other, our eyes dark with desire.

"I believe you," I say quietly. "I'm gonna get ready for bed. Want to borrow my toothbrush? That's not a hint or anything. I just remember how freaky you used to be about oral hygiene."

He responds laughingly, "I missed you so much and I didn't even know it. Yes, I'd love to borrow your toothbrush." And he does.

****

I let Edward brush first, and then I use the bathroom to wash my face, brush my teeth and put on pajama pants and a tee. I feel awkward and self-conscious as I come out of the bathroom, but as soon as I see Edward already in the bed, it all seems to melt away. He pulls the covers back for me, laying them over me as I snuggle in. We are both lying on our sides, facing each other, and he reaches for my hand.

"You okay?" he asks, grinning my favorite lop-sided grin.

"Yeah. You okay?" I ask softly, grinning back.

"Somewhat better than okay. Talk or sleep?" He doesn't give me the make-out option I was hoping for.

"Talk. Can I scoot closer?"

"Bella, I won't be able to keep my hands off you if you get closer. But how about this?" he asks, hooking our legs together. He rubs up and down my legs with his a little, pushing my pj pants up around my knees.

"Better," I say. "I just want to be close to you."

"Baby, I'm dying over here. Let's talk about something else, okay?" he asks, but he does lean forward and plant two quick kisses on my lips. "Why does Emma keep calling me SG? What's it stand for?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about," I say, trying not to laugh.

"Oh, you're not telling, huh? All right, I'll get it out of you eventually," he replies, smiling and squeezing my hand. "What do you want to do tomorrow?"

"Well, I have a short meeting at 10 with Jake, so I'll already be downtown. The waterfront? Then maybe cook dinner here, just me and you. I mean, that's what I was thinking, but if you—"

"No, it's perfect." Two more kisses. "I want to ask you something, but I don't want you to give me an answer now. I want you to think about it, regardless of what your initial reaction is, okay?"

I nod, already apprehensive because his face is so serious.

"I'm going to Forks on Saturday to see my family. I want you to come with me."

I stare at him, wide-eyed, unblinking.

"Bella, I want to spend as much time as possible with you. It will be all day, by the time I drive there and back. I can't get out of this; it's a big damn family lunch thing. My parents would love to see you. You would get to see Alice, Emmett, everybody. Please just think about it. Please," he pleads.

"You said you were free on Saturday," I say, looking down.

He chuckles before answering. "The family thing was supposed to be Sunday, but my mom needed to move it to Saturday for some reason. She specifically asked me to ask you to come. Just think about it, okay? You don't have to come, but I really hope you do." He leans in to kiss me again.

I look up into his eyes as he pulls back. He's serious. He really does want me to come.

"I'll think about it," I say, never breaking eye contact. I know I have to face his family, our past, if I want to move forward with Edward. I'm just not sure if I'm ready.

I yawn, he yawns. We laugh.

"Sleepy?" he asks quietly.

"Kind of," I answer.

"Me, too. Goodnight, Bella. Sweet dreams," he smiles.

"Goodnight, Edward," I say, smiling back.

We fall asleep that way; smiling, holding hands, legs intertwined.

****

I wake up several times during the night. Each time, Edward and I have shifted position in some way. Each time, we are still intertwined in some way.

I wake up for good a few minutes before my tv alarm will come on. I'm lying on my back and Edward is on his side mashed up against me. His face is buried in my neck, one arm and one leg are thrown over me. He's heavy, but I like it.

I sigh and smile up at the ceiling, feeling happy tears gather in my eyes. I think the last time I cried was two years ago, but this week I've cried almost every damn day. I don't go to grief counseling with Dr. Denali anymore. She fired me for not being willing to 'let it go' by crying, said she couldn't help me if I wasn't willing to 'participate in my own healing'. I thought it was a crock of shit at the time, but damned if I don't end up feeling better every time I cry this week. I might have to send her a fruit basket.

When the tv comes on a few minutes later, I reach for the remote to turn down the sound. Too late. My personal paperweight has woken. I feel the laughter rumbling in his chest before I hear it.

"Sportscenter? You wake up to ESPN? Bella, you are now _officially_ my dreamgirl," he laughs into my neck.

"Single mom with two boys, remember? If I don't learn this stuff, who will teach them? I can't leave it to my dad. They'll end up being couch potatoes and watching baseball from April 'til November," I say, laughing with him, trying not to get too excited about the dreamgirl comment. He was barely even awake when he said it. "I'm hoping my boys will be more well-rounded than that, in sports and in life."

"You're a great mom, Bella," he says, lifting his head to look in my eyes. He kisses me gently, then puts his face right back into my neck, squeezing me with his arm and his leg. I put both of my arms around the one that's over me and draw lazy designs on his skin.

"Maybe you should reserve judgment on that until you actually meet them," I say, chuckling. "You might change your mind."

"Why would you think that? I like everyone else you've introduced me to this week, even scary Emma. Why would you think I wouldn't like the little people who are actually pieces of you?" he says, looking at me again, his green eyes intense.

I shrug. "They're kids. They can be loud, annoying, snotty."

"Just like you. And I like _you_," he laughs. I pull his arm hair. He laughs harder.

"When are you leaving for LA?" I ask quietly.

"Sunday night."

"You know, you could stay here until then, check out of your hotel. I mean, if you want to. No pressure or anything. I know things are moving fast this week," I say, looking away from his intense gaze.

"Bella, look at me," he says. I do. "I'd really like to stay here if you want me to."

"I want you to," I whisper, lost in the greenest eyes again.

"Well, okay then," he whispers, smiling.

"Okay." I'm smiling, too. Then I'm moaning because he's buried his face back in my neck and is alternately licking, kissing and sucking the skin there. "Edward, I have to get up."

"I know. I just needed a taste, a little preview," he says, still kissing. That statement elicits another moan from me. He pulls away, kisses me quickly on the lips then yanks the covers off me. "You'd better go now while I have a little self control. I'll go make coffee."

Funny, sexy, _and_ he makes coffee? I'm so screwed.


	11. Chapter 11

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight or any of its characters. No copyright infringement is intended. If I did own Twilight, I would have a martini every day...oh, wait. I already do that.**_

_Somehow everything's gonna fall right into place  
If we only had a way to make it all fall faster everyday  
If only time flew like a dove  
Well, God, make it fly faster than I'm falling in love_

****

As I'm putting on makeup, there's a knock at my bathroom door.

"Come in," I call. I turn away from the mirror to face the door.

Edward comes in holding two mugs of coffee. He hands one to me. I inhale deeply and smile before taking my first sip.

"Mmmmm," I say, smiling. "Thank you. It's perfect."

"Scary Emma was in the kitchen when I got in there. She taught me to make coffee just the way you like it," he says, smiling back at me.

"She told you the secret to her coffee? She won't even tell _me_," I complain. "What is it? What does she put in it?" I turn back to the mirror and apply mascara.

"She made me pinky swear not to tell. Normally, I don't feel beholden to pinky swears, since I'm not a 12-year-old girl, but I don't call her Scary Emma for nothing. Sorry, babe," he says with a chuckle.

"Oh, don't feel sorry for me," I reply. "I'll get it out of you somehow. I have ways of making you talk." I look at him suggestively in the mirror. I laugh when he blushes. I'm usually the blusher, not the blush-causer. I like this new little power I have over Edward.

"So, how about we drive in town together? I can drop you at your office on the way to my hotel and I'll come back and get you when you're done. Then we can go do all the touristy stuff that I haven't done in Seattle for years. It looks like it's going to be a beautiful day out there. I can't wait to spend it with you," he says, smiling, watching me in the mirror as I finish my makeup.

I take a sip of my coffee then turn away from the mirror to look at Edward. I set my coffee down. I take his mug and set it down. I step toward him and put my arms around his neck, pulling him down to kiss me, and then I hug him tightly.

"Edward, I can't wait to spend the day with you, too."

****

Four hours later, I'm still stuck in my office meeting with Jake and James. I keep checking my watch, but they don't get the hint.

We've come to a resolution about the Jessica situation. She's getting another chance, but I'm making Jake let her sweat it out over the weekend before we meet with her on Monday to set the guidelines for her continued employment.

We've gone over the financials for the previous month with Angela and, smart Princeton girl that she is, she had an excuse to leave and get back to her own office as soon as she was done.

I've taken up tapping my pen against the top of my desk. Tap, tap, tap. Twelve taps. Check my watch. Twenty more taps. Check my watch again. Jake looks over at me, clearly annoyed by my impatience.

James is going on and on about things that I've already given him decisions about. He really likes to hear himself talk. He's now trying to talk Jake and me out of something he talked us into only last week.

Last week. The week before Edward. That's how I will refer to it from now on. I smile to myself. _I want to get out of here_! I look at Jake pleadingly, but he doesn't seem to get it.

The phone on my desk rings. It's my secretary, so I push the speakerphone option.

"Yes, Lauren?"

"Bella, Mr. Cullen is here," she replies, breathlessly. Yes, I know, hon. He has that effect on the ladies.

Jake's head snaps up and our eyes meet. I raise my eyebrows and smile at him and he smiles back at me, nodding. _Now_ he gets it. He's not usually so slow on the uptake.

"Lauren, tell Mr. Cullen to come on in," I reply.

"Is he here to see me?" James asks. "I haven't really started working on the final documents yet for the acquisition."

What a douche. What an idiotic self-important douche. It takes an incredible amount of self-control for me not to roll my eyes at him, but I manage. I do not want to have a big discussion with him about Edward, so placating James is my fastest route outta here.

"No, James. You know Edward and I are old friends. We're having lunch today. He's come to pick me up," I reply in the least condescending tone I can muster.

"I don't think that's the best idea, Bella. We are still in the middle of this deal," James says icily.

Now I do roll my eyes at him. And I muster the most condescending tone I possess.

"Well, then it's a good thing I wasn't asking your permission," I fire back just as icily.

Before I can say any more, there's a quick knock and Edward opens the door. I can't stop the smile that spreads across my face when I see him. He's wearing jeans and a white shirt with the cuffs rolled up. No wonder Lauren was breathless. I'm breathless, too. In my head I picture Edward walking up the halls of my offices, past Human Resources, thud, 4 women hit the floor; past Accounting, thud, 5 more women hit the floor. I suppress my giggle at the thought of fainting women in the wake of this beautiful man.

"Sorry. Am I interrupting? Lauren said to come on in," Edward says quickly.

"No. We were done, right, guys?" I ask. "I'm ready to go."

"Yeah, we were done," Jake agrees, looking at me again with that knowing smile. Since he's saving me now from the douchery of James, I will forgive him for not understanding my smoke signal pen tapping earlier. "You guys have a good lunch."

"Jake, I'm not planning to come into the office tomorrow. I want a day at home before the kids get back," I explain, not for Jake, but for James. Cut him off at the knees before he can start talking, that's my strategy for dealing with James.

"Guess I'll see you tomorrow night then, Bells, right? Remember you are meeting Nessie and me. No take backs!" he laughs.

"We'll talk about it tomorrow, Jake," I say noncommittally.

"Okay, Bells, have a nice day off. James, we can finish our discussion in my office. Edward, always good to see you," Jake says as he heads out my office door. James sullenly follows. Edward and I grin at each other.

"You ready to go play tourist, Edward?" I tease, grabbing my purse and heading out the door.

"I'm ready for anything," he replies, walking right beside me.

"Good to know. I'll keep that in mind," I say laughing.

We walk past the windows of the Accounting office, the HR office. No one's passing out, but they are all watching us. More accurately, they're all watching Edward. I smile and wave and fight the urge to grab a sharpie and scrawl "Hands off, bitches" across his forehead.

As soon as the elevator doors close, I turn to him, hook both my index fingers through the belt loops of his jeans and pull his hips up against mine. "Wanna make out on the ride down?" I ask.

"Well, it is a long way down," he says, staring at my lips. "Gotta kill the time somehow."

I chuckle throatily as his mouth crashes down on mine.

****

We are both out of breath by the time the elevator reaches the underground garage. I gave Edward my keycard so he could park down here when he came to pick me up. We get in his car and head toward the waterfront.

We decide to eat lunch first and find a place where we can sit outside and enjoy the semi-sunny day. We both have fish and chips and a beer. He laughs as I tell him about how I tried to get out of my meeting earlier with my pen tapping and watch looking.

"I really sound like a pathetic businesswoman, don't I?" I ask. "I promise I'm not usually like this. I've been extraordinarily distracted this week."

"You've been distracted? I hadn't noticed," he quips, smiling at me. How is it possible for him to be even hotter when he's wearing sunglasses? "I've been pretty preoccupied this week myself," he finishes.

"You have? Why?" I ask. "There's nothing wrong with Aro, is there?" I can't keep the alarm out of my voice at that thought.

He laughs. "No, Bella. I've been distracted because I met this incredible woman who's smart, funny, sexy and beautiful. I'm having a hard time concentrating on anything but her," he says seriously.

"Who is she?" I ask, smiling now.

"You, Bella. You know it's you," he says, taking my hand and linking our fingers together.

"But you didn't just meet me, Edward."

"No, not technically. But we're both different than we were 15 years ago. I'm enjoying getting to know the adult Bella, seeing how you've changed, how you're the same," he says.

I raise one eyebrow at him, but don't say anything. He takes it as a cue to continue.

"You still get to me with that one eyebrow thing. You're still intelligent. I still never know what you're going to say next. But you're bolder. You have so much self-confidence now. You're not embarrassed to say what you think anymore or to put people in their place. In fact, I love watching you put James in his place," he laughs. "When you smoked him with that glare at your dining room table on Monday night…that's when I knew."

"Knew what?" I ask, sitting back in my chair and sipping my beer.

"Knew that I would fall for you all over again if I didn't get the hell out of there."

"Yet here you sit," I say, smiling on the outside, doing backflips on the inside.

"Yep. Here I sit," he smiles back at me then leans over to kiss me sweetly.

He pays for our lunch and we start walking. He wants to go in almost every store. We wander unhurriedly from place to place, holding hands, kissing occasionally, talking. At a candy store, he buys two bags of saltwater taffy, one for us to share and one for Charlotte.

"Who's Charlotte?" I ask.

"My secretary," he answers. I don't respond. I'm thinking 25, blonde, LA boobs, big lips. I purse my lips and roll my eyes.

"Bella, what's that look? Jeez, Charlotte is my mom's age and she's mean as a junkyard dog…to everyone except me, which I why I got stuck with her," he laughs. "I told you, I'm not seeing anyone else. I haven't dated anyone for several months."

We find a bench and sit to eat our taffy.

"I noticed you said you haven't dated, not that you haven't slept with anyone. Are you a manwhore, Edward?" I ask, laughing. But I'm not really kidding.

"What?" he laughs, too. "I don't know why I'm still surprised about the things you say. No, I am not a manwhore. I have had a healthy sex life, but not an overactive or casual one. What about you?" he asks, handing me a piece of taffy he's unwrapped.

"I'm not a manwhore, either." I say dryly.

He laughs heartily and kisses me. "Well, that's a relief. But really, have you dated a lot?"

Oh, boy. Now I wish I wouldn't have started this conversation. I take a long time to chew and swallow my bite of taffy, buying myself time to think of an answer. The look on his face tells me he knows exactly what I'm doing with my excessive chewing.

"No, I haven't. I haven't met anyone who I was really attracted to, or who I wanted to spend time with more than I wanted to stay home with my kids. I've only been on one date since Marcus died and I made him bring me home before curfew," I say, feeling embarrassed and totally inadequate.

"You had a curfew? Who gave you a curfew?" he chuckles.

"One guess."

"Scary Emma?"

"And her sidekicks," I laugh.

My phone starts chirping. I look to see who's calling and roll my eyes.

"It's like she knows we're talking about her," I say to Edward. "Hey, Em, what's up?" I say answering the call.

"Hi, Bells. I talked to SG this morning and he said you two were staying in tonight. I'm heading over to your house right now and have dinner for you guys all prepped. You just have to grill the stuff and do a salad, ok?" she says excitedly.

"Em, that's so sweet. You didn't have to do that," I say. "But thank you."

"I wanted to. I've been at your house more than mine this week and you deserve a break from me," she laughs. "And I want you two to have a really special night, if you get my meaning."

"I get it," I say laughing. Emma the pimp.

"So I've got oysters on the half shell for an appy, black and bleu steak and lobster tails to grill and I threw stuff for a salad in, too. And veggies to grill in your grill basket. Can you remember all that or should I leave you instructions?" she's going a mile a minute now.

"Leave instructions, please."

"Will do. And you two stop for a couple bottles of wine and a box of condoms."

"Emma!"

"Oh, don't act all outraged. You know you want it," she laughs. "Make sure he eats some oysters. I think he'll need the extra stamina to keep up with you."

"Hanging up now, Em."

"Okay. You and Lily have fun and I'll see you tomorrow night. We're still going to hear Nessie's brother's band, right? You should totes bring SG. I like him," she finishes.

"I've noticed. We'll talk about it tomorrow. Thanks again, Em. Love you," I say quickly.

"Love you, too, B. Bye!"

I hang up and look over at Edward. "The president of your fanclub. She made us dinner. Surf and turf…and oysters." I can't stop the giggles. Edward throws back his head to laugh then pulls me close.

He kisses me as he says, "I knew I liked her."

****

We sit for awhile longer on the bench, eating taffy, people watching, enjoying the late afternoon sun that has finally broken through. We talk some, we're silent some. I love the comfortable nature of the silence. Neither of us feels that we have to fill every second with talking. I lean my head on his shoulder and turn my face up toward the sun, smiling.

He kisses the top of my head and asks, "What are you smiling about over there?"

"I'm just content," I say. Then I sit up and look at him. "No, that's not a strong enough word. I'm happy, Edward. I'm blissfully happy to be sitting here in the sun with you, eating taffy and talking or not talking." I stretch up to kiss his lips then his cheek and put my arms around his neck to hug him. He hugs back, holding me tightly.

"Thank you for sticking around this week. I mean, I know you stayed to see your family, but I'm very glad that I'm getting to spend time with you, too," I say into his neck.

"Bella, I have a confession to make," he says. I try not to panic. "I really stayed because of you. My family was just the excuse I gave you. I would have blown them off and gone back to LA if I hadn't seen you again," he admits.

My face breaks into a wide grin and I hug him tighter for a moment. Then I lean back to look at his face and say, "Edward, I think it's time to go."

****

When we get to my house, we take Edward's bag to my room. He needs to return a few business calls, so I send him into my office. I wantto take a quick shower anyway before cooking dinner. After I shower and dress, I check my phone. Three new texts: Ang and MK both texted me to have a good night and my dad texted that the kids were all fine. I text all three back quickly and go to find Edward.

I peek through the glass doors to my office and see him still on the phone. He looks up, smiles and waves me in.

"Aro, she's just walking in. Hang on, I'll put you on speaker," he says into his phone. Aw, it's my Gramps. I miss him even though I just saw him yesterday.

"Hi, Aro," I say.

"Hello, Bella. I hear you've been playing hooky today with my lawyer," he says laughingly.

"Well, just for the afternoon, but yes," I respond, laughing too.

"That's good to hear," he replies. "Fun and laughter are food for the soul. Now when are you coming to Los Angeles to see me?"

"Jake and I are coming down Thursday to sign all the papers and then Friday morning we'll meet with the employees at Vulture," I answer.

"Good, good. Heidi and I would like to take you and Jake to dinner Thursday evening. I've asked Edward to come, too."

"Oh, Aro, that sounds wonderful. I am so anxious to see Heidi," I say excitedly.

"She's been waiting very impatiently to see you, too. All right, it's a date. I'll let you two get on with your evening. Edward, I'll speak to you Monday. Bella, see you Thursday. Have a nice evening," he says.

"Bye," we answer in stereo, then laugh as Edward ends the call. He stands up from my desk and walks around it to kiss me.

"You look amazing and you smell good, too," he says, burying his face in the crook of my neck. "I have one more quick call to make, then I'm all yours."

"Okay. I'll go see what all Em left us. I'll be waiting for you in the kitchen," I say, reaching up to kiss him.

I walk to the kitchen and start pulling out all the food Emma left for us. I set out the platter of oysters, laughing and rolling my eyes. Even for a pimp, this is a little obvious. I take out all the food she left for us to grill and the bag of organic mixed greens she left in the crisper. I open a bottle of wine and pour myself a glass. I take a few sips, then turn on the radio to a station that I think will play good dinner mood music.

Several minutes later, I hear the door to my office open, so I pour Edward a glass of wine, too.

"Thanks," he says, taking it from me and bending down to kiss me. I am expecting a quick peck, but Edward deepens the kiss, running his tongue along my lips until I part them, then stroking my tongue with his, holding my head to his with his free hand. I am panting and weak-kneed when he finally lets me go. Against my stomach, I feel that he is affected as well. "Jesus, Bella, you kill me," he laughs.

"Right back at ya," I answer, putting my arms around his waist to hug him. "Hungry?"

"Very," he answers looking in my eyes. I don't think he means hungry for food.

"Oysters?" I squeak, pointing to the table where I've placed the platter Em left.

"Sure. Let's sit," he says, picking up my wine from the counter and carrying it to the table. I grab the wine bucket and follow.

He squeezes lemon onto an oyster, loosens it with one of the little forks Em also left, and puts the shell to his mouth, sucking out the oyster. I forget to breathe for a minute. Fuck, that's hot. I eat one, too, but I use the fork because I'm sure I will not look sexy sucking it out of the shell like he does.

We eat the oysters and finish one bottle of wine. He offers to do the grilling. I fix the salad, watching him out the window as he stands at the grill. I can't believe he's really here, with me, and he wants me. How did I get so lucky? How in this world full of people did we meet again? I think about MK, she's sent me email after email this week pointing out the incredible odds of us finding each other again, arguing that this man must be my soul mate based on that fact plus the way I kept thinking of him before he reentered my life on Monday. I think she might be on to something, although I can't tell her I might agree with her or she'll never leave me alone about it. I'm also very afraid that everything will change after he goes back to LA Sunday.

He turns to look at me through the window, catching me staring at him. He smiles his sexiest, lop-sided grin at me. I smile back, shaking my head slightly. He really is too beautiful. He walks inside carrying the platter of grilled food to the table. He sets it down then comes to me. Putting his hands on either side of my neck, he bends down to kiss me gently. I kiss him back. It's a slow, easy kiss.

"Let's eat," I say, pulling away. If we don't eat now, I'll have my panties off in less than two minutes. I really don't want to have to tell Emma that we wasted all her food because we couldn't keep our hands off each other. She wouldn't care about the food, but I would have to listen to her tell the tale of Bella and the Sex God until the end of time.

We sit down and I tell him it's his turn to talk. He gives me abbreviated updates on the last 15 years of his family's life, talks briefly about the three girls with whom he had what he considered serious relationships, tells me why each relationship broke up (he takes the blame for all three), and then says he isn't sure he wants to stay in LA and has been thinking for awhile about relocating.

"Really? I assumed you really liked the southern Cal lifestyle." I am completely taken by surprise at his revelation.

"I did when I was in my twenties, but I am getting tired of all the fakery. I know there are people like that everywhere, but there seem to be a higher concentration of them in LA," he laughs. "Plus, I'm basically losing my favorite client. Aro won't have much use for me after next week and anything he does need can most likely be handled long distance." I bite my tongue to keep from asking where he wants to move. If he says anywhere except back up here, I'm pretty sure it will ruin my night.

When we are finished eating, we clean up the kitchen together; he asks question after question about my kids. He wants to know all about their personalities. I laugh as I try to describe them objectively, laying out their faults as well as their strengths. He says he can't wait to meet them. I don't tell him that I haven't decided if I'll introduce him to them this weekend or not. Obviously, I've never introduced them to a date and I'm not sure how they'll react. It might be better to wait until I can prepare them.

We take our wine and move into the hearth room. I sit down on the leather loveseat, but Edward walks over to the wall where I have a gallery of family pictures. He looks intently at them, asking questions about who's who.

"What's this?" he asks, pointing to a newspaper article I have framed on the family wall.

"It's the _Forks Gazette_ from July 15, 1928. There's an article on the front page about my great-grandparents' wedding. I found it when we were packing up the house in Forks and my dad let me keep it. It's a sweet little story about how they stole away at sunrise one morning and got married in the little country chuch. Only their families attended. It all seemed very romantic to me," I answer wistfully.

"It is romantic. Just a simple family wedding. Not about the gifts and attention and party like so many weddings are these days," he says.

"That's what I thought, too. They exchanged vows and went back to my great-great grandparents' for a big family breakfast before leaving for their honeymoon. They were married more than 40 years, until they both passed away within a week of each other. I like having their story on my wall. It's like a little piece of their romance lives on. I sound like a sap, huh?" I laugh, sipping my wine.

"Not at all, Bella," he says, sitting down on the ottoman in front of the loveseat to face me. He takes my hand and holds my gaze with his own.

The radio station we are listening to plays 'The Best is Yet to Come'. Edward and I smile at each other. He was obsessed with Frank Sinatra when we were in high school and so we both knew every Frank song by heart. I know what MK would say: It's a sign.

"Dance with me, Bella? We can't let ol' Blue Eyes go to waste," he says, standing and pulling me to my feet.

"Edward, I'm still not a good dancer. That hasn't changed," I say, allowing him to pull me close with one arm and link our other hands to hold over his heart.

"I saw you shaking it last night on the coffee table. Don't dismiss your dancing skills," he says laughing down at me.

"That was a very specific case of disco plus tequila. Nothing to be impressed with," I laugh, pressing myself closer to him and resting my face against his shoulder.

"Bella, I'm impressed with every single thing I've seen you do this week. I've seen you be incredibly tough and savvy as a businesswoman. I've watched you laugh with your friends, who clearly adore you as much as you do them. I saw your eyes light up and your face melt when you saw the picture of your kids. I was so jealous in that moment when you were on the porch…that someone else put that look on your face…the look you used to save for me. Of course, I thought it was Jake then, not your kids," he laughs, rubbing my thumb with his. "I can't tell you how relieved I was when I found out who that text was from. It was matched only by my relief when I realized that you and Jake were not getting married."

"I'm really sorry about that," I say quickly.

"Bella, I already told you not to apologize for that anymore. I'm not such an ass that I can't laugh at myself. I know what Aro was trying to do and he succeeded. And I couldn't be happier with the way this week has turned out. I was expecting a boring business trip and instead I'm ending up with the best surprise I've ever had," he says, squeezing my fingers and pulling my hand up to his mouth to kiss it.

We move slowly together, his fingers lifting the back of my shirt to draw tiny circles on the bare skin of my lower back. I move my hand from his shoulder to the hair at the nape of his neck, running my fingers through his thick hair. He bends his head to kiss me, pressing my lips open with his, using the hand on my back to keep my hips against his. I'm breathless by the time he moves his lips down my jaw to my neck, placing open-mouthed kisses on first one side then the other as I tip my head back to give him better access.

Frank is finishing up his song as Edward moves back to my lips, both of us breathing hard. He kisses me more urgently than earlier and then rests his forehead against mine, still moving us slowly, still holding me pressed up tightly against him. Then we both burst out laughing when the next song comes on and Marvin Gaye starts singing 'Let's Get It On'.

"Think someone's trying to tell us something?" I ask, lost in his green eyes.

"Bella, we don't have to. I don't want you to feel like I'm rushing you. We can take all the time we need," he says earnestly.

"Edward, I think we've waited long enough. I haven't wanted to do this with anyone for a very long time," I say. "I don't feel rushed. This feels right."

"Baby, it feels right to me, too," he says, then kisses me again.

****

Once we've made the decision, neither of us wastes any time. He picks up both of our wine glasses, I grab the wine bucket off the counter and we head straight for my room. I turn on the indirect lighting built in to the vaulted ceiling while Edward refills our wine glasses and hands me mine.

"To miracles," he says, tapping his glass against mine.

I laugh quietly. "It's just sex, Edward. Not a miracle," I say.

"Bella, it's always been more than just sex where you and I are concerned, and to me, us finding each other again is, in fact, a miracle," he insists, melting my panties right off. Damn, he's good.

"You're right," I agree. I want to say more, but I'm not sure I can get it out without starting to cry. I tap my glass to his and we both drink.

"Are you nervous?" he asks gently.

"I am," I say simply, nodding.

He chuckles, "I am, too. I think the last time I was nervous was our very first time together."

I smile broadly at him, "Me, too. Isn't that funny?"

"This is important to me, Bella. You're important to me," he says sincerely.

"You're important to me, too. You always have been," I answer intently, reaching up to touch his sweet face. He leans down to kiss me. He sucks my lip into his mouth and I moan, feeling my body come alive for him the way it always has. I reach for the buttons of his shirt with my one free hand, but don't make much progress handicapped by the hand still holding a wineglass.

He pulls away and takes my wineglass, setting both of our glasses down on the dresser. I can't take my eyes off him and as he turns back to me, he smiles my favorite grin. As I smile back at him, I feel my nervousness dissipate. Now I just want him out of his clothes. I reach both hands back to the buttons on the front of his shirt, practically ripping them from the holes and hurriedly push the shirt off his shoulders, sighing as I finally find bare skin with my hands. He puts his bare arms around my waist and kisses me again, both of us frenzied. He pulls back long enough to lift my shirt over my head before jerking my mostly bare torso back up against his.

His hands roam down to my backside and he lifts me up, wrapping my legs around his waist and walking to the bed. He lays me down gently and follows me down, settling between my legs, kissing down my neck toward my chest, moving my bra straps off my shoulders.

"Edward, wait," I pant.

"What, sweetheart? What do you need?" he asks, lifting his head to look in my eyes.

"Before you see me naked, I just want to remind you that I've had three kids and when you've had three kids everything doesn't necessarily go back where it used to be after they are born," I say.

He laughs, burying his head in my neck and sucking on a spot there before he answers. "Bella, you are the most fascinating person I've ever met in my life. Come here," he says, sitting up and back on his heels and pulling me until I'm sitting up, too. He reaches around my back and unhooks my bra, pulling it off and tossing it on the floor, looking intensely at my body. He leans forward to kiss my lips.

"I don't remember you ever being as beautiful as you are right now," he says solemnly, never breaking the kiss. "I've never wanted you more."

"Jesus, did you go to some kind of charm-the-pants-off-the-ladies school?" I ask, smiling against his lips. "Because it's totally working."

"It's the truth, Bella. You are fucking gorgeous," he murmurs.

I wrap my arms around his chest and lie back down, pulling him back on top of me, pushing my pelvis up against his. We both moan at the friction. He kisses his way back down my neck and shoulders, finally reaching my breasts. He sucks one nipple into his mouth while caressing my other breast. I can't stop my pelvis from rocking against him again as he switches sides, taking the other nipple into his mouth and sucking. He thrusts his hips against mine twice before kissing his way down my stomach.

He unbuttons and unzips my jeans, pushing up on his knees to slide them off, looking appreciatively at the black thong I'm wearing in his honor.

"You're wearing it," he growls, raising his eyes to meet mine.

"Just for you, baby," I smile up at him.

"Thank you," he whispers, placing several kisses over the thong. I gasp when he gets a little too close to Lily.

"Edward, please, I don't think I can wait anymore," I moan.

He hooks his fingers in the sides of the thong and pulls it swiftly off. He sees the scar above my pubic bone and traces it gently with an index finger. He looks at me questioningly.

"C-section," I say breathlessly.

He bends to place little kisses along the length of the scar, then looks up at me as he scoots farther down. He pushes my legs farther apart before pushing one finger inside me and bending to touch his mouth to the spot I want it most.

I gasp again. "Edward, please. I need you."

He pushes another finger in as he continues making lazy circles with his tongue on my clit.

"Baby, I want you," I beg again.

I think the desperation in my tone finally gets through to him because he starts crawling back up my body, stopping again at the scar to lick across it. As soon as he gets close enough, I reach for the buttons of his jeans. He helps and is soon as naked as I am and reaching for a condom. I have no idea when he put condoms on my nightstand, but thank God that one of us has the good sense to.

We both groan as he pushes inside me.

"Goddamn, you feel so good, Bella," he whispers against my lips. I am incapable of words by this point. I can only gasp as he starts to move in me. His thrusts are slow and gentle at first, but he increases the tempo as he feels my hips meeting his with more force. He reaches between us, touching me where he knows I need it.

"Come, baby. Come for me," he breathes into my mouth.

"Oh my god, Edward," I moan as my orgasm overtakes me.

He moves his hand away, reaching out with it to grab mine and linking our fingers together. He kisses me as he continues thrusting and I feel it building again in me. I cry out as another, more intense orgasm rips through me. He thrusts three more times then I feel him find his own release, groaning and burying his face in my neck, sucking the sensitive skin there.

We lie there several minutes, catching our breath, clinging to each other. I feel the tears leaking out the sides of my eyes before I can try to stop them. Edward raises his head to kiss me and sees the tears.

"Baby, what's wrong? Are you upset?" he asks anxiously.

I shake my head. "No, I'm not upset. I'm the opposite of upset. I'm so fucking happy I feel like I'm gonna explode. I never thought I'd have this again…never thought I'd have _you_ again," I say, smiling into his greenest eyes.

He smiles back at me and kisses me again. "Me, too, Bella. I'm so fucking happy, too."

****

**A/N: Thanks to those of you who've been reviewing! :)**

**Elaine67, I borrowed your word for James. Hope it's okay. ;)**

**Thanks for reading!**

**Alice and the rest of the Cullens are coming soon...chapter 13 or 14**


	12. Chapter 12

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight or any of its characters. No copyright infringement is intended. If I did own Twilight, I would exercise more. Okay, I probably wouldn't. :)**_

_Take me now, baby, here as I am  
Hold me close, n' try n' understand  
Desire is hunger is the fire I breathe  
Love is a banquet on which we feed_

****

Edward kisses me gently, lazily, until I'm breathless again and then he rolls us so I'm on top of him, straddling him. I start to raise up, but he pulls me down to kiss me once more, then pushes my head down onto his chest.

"Stay here. Just another minute," he says gruffly.

"Okay," I say, pressing a kiss right over his heart. I sigh.

"Was that an 'I'm so satisfied' sigh or an 'I'm so irritated with Edward' sigh?" he asks.

"Satisfied. Can't talk," I mumble.

"I'm so good that you're speechless?" he laughs.

"Mmhmm."

"Want me to do it again and see if your speech is restored?"

I laugh at that. "Definitely. Have to pee first though." I raise up to kiss him and then lift myself off of him.

In the bathroom, I look in the mirror. I'm a total mess. Mascara is smeared under my eyes and back toward my temples. My hair is ratty. I have a hickey on my left collar bone. I smirk at myself in the mirror. It's been a long time since I looked this bad and felt this good. I quickly wash my face and brush my hair so I look a little better. I pull on my short blue silk robe and head back into the bedroom where Edward is propped up against the headboard waiting.

"Why are you dressed?" Edward frowns. He's practically pouting.

"It's just a robe. I'm not in the habit of sitting around naked. I have to work up to it," I answer. I pick up one of our forgotten wineglasses and fill it with wine from the cold bottle. I take it with me and climb back into bed, taking a drink and then offering it to Edward.

"I'm just going to take it off you," he says.

"Oh, I'm counting on that, big boy," I say laughingly as I settle in next to him. I slip my arm through his and lean my head on his shoulder. He kisses the top of my head and sighs.

"Was that an 'I'm so satisfied' sigh or an 'I'm so irritated with Bella' sigh?" I ask.

He laughs. "Both. Ouch! What is it with you pulling my arm hair?"

I giggle and turn my head to kiss his shoulder. "Sorry. Sick of me yet?" I ask.

"Not even close, Swan. In fact, the more I'm with you, the more I want to be with you. Isn't there some psychological theory about that? Like the more you have something the more you want to have it again?" he muses.

"I think that's greed, one of the Seven Deadly Sins," I laugh.

"You're hilarious, Swan. Here, drink this. It's apparently the only way to shut you up," he jokes, tipping the wineglass up to my mouth.

I take a drink before answering lowly, "Edward, you know how to render me speechless."

"Do you know what you do to me?" he asks with a groan, reaching for my hand.

"Do you know what I'm going to do to you?" I fire back.

I sit up and swing one leg over so I'm straddling Edward's lap. I take the wineglass from him and hold it to his lips. He drinks, keeping his eyes locked on mine. I finish the wine, letting a couple of drops dribble down to my chin. He leans up to lick them from my face and I close my eyes, tossing the empty wineglass down to the carpeted floor and wrapping my arms around his neck.

"You're going to get wine on the carpet," he remarks, kissing his way down my neck while untying the sash on my robe.

"I don't care. It's white, won't show. Are you gonna keep talking or kiss me?" I pant.

"Kiss you, absolutely." He's got his hands inside the robe now, gently caressing my breasts.

"You're _still_ talking," I say, leaning back to smile at him. I trace his cheekbones with my fingers then lean forward to lick the small cleft in his chin. He's smiling as I capture his lips with mine.

I'm the aggressor this time. I kiss him hungrily, gripping his hair in my hands. I move to his neck and farther down, finally reaching his left collar bone. I suck the skin there so that we have matching love bites.

"Bella, Jesus," he groans, pushing my robe off my shoulders. Satisfied that I've left a mark, I lift my head up to smile at him as I rake my fingernails gently, teasingly down his chest. He inhales sharply and his hips jerk against mine. I rock my hips against him, lowering my forehead to his and placing my open mouth on his. For a moment, we just look at each other, breathing each other in. The feelings I have are so intense that I let my eyes slide shut.

"Open your eyes," he whispers. I snap them open to meet his again.

"Edward," I whisper, breathing hard.

"Baby, lift up. I need to be inside you."

I whimper, raising up onto my knees as he reaches toward the nightstand for another condom.

"No, just you, Edward. It's okay, I'm on the pill," I say quietly.

"You're gonna be the death of me, Bella," he chuckles. We smile at each other as I lower myself onto him, then both of us moan and shut our eyes. I sink down and stay still, just feeling him, opening my eyes and touching his lips with my fingers. He kisses them as he opens his eyes. Tears spring to my eyes. He lifts his fingers to them, catching the tears as they leak out.

"I feel it, too," he says, his eyes intense as they bore into mine. I put my mouth back to his as I slowly start to move. He puts his arms around me then slides his hands down to help me move, eventually urging me to increase the tempo. I do. It doesn't take me long to reach my peak in this position.

"Oh my God, Edward," I cry out, gasping for breath and hugging him tightly. He doesn't give me any time to recover, rolling us sideways and grasping my left leg under the knee, pushing it up and out to the side. I'm not capable of doing more than lying there, watching his face as he thrusts himself into me over and over until finally he comes.

"Bella, fuck…Bella," he groans, kissing me. He pushes my hair back off of my face, placing tiny kisses all over my cheeks and jaw. He rolls us to the side and puts both of his arms around me, holding me close, lifting my top leg over his hip so our bodies are still mashed up against each other. I alternately kiss and lick the spots I can reach on his chest.

"You think we'll ever make love slowly, not be in this rush?" he asks.

"Yeah, tomorrow," I answer, smiling against the hollow at the front of his neck.

"Or Saturday," he says, rubbing gently up and down my back.

"Or next week," I laugh. He laughs with me.

"Maybe when we're 50."

"No, 60."

I pull back to look in his eyes. He leans down to kiss me, cupping the side of my face with his hand.

"Bella, I meant what I said earlier. I do feel it, too. I'm not sure what to call it at this point, but I do feel it."

"Edward, shut up and kiss me," I smile. He does.

****

It's after midnight when we finally stop our lazy make out session.

"We should sleep. I know I've worn you out," I tease, looking at him and trailing my fingers through the hair on his chest.

"You're right. I don't have your superior endurance, right?" he laughs. I laugh, too, thinking of Aro, thanking him in my head for pushing both Edward and me toward the other. I would like to think that we would have gotten here anyway, but Aro's interference probably did speed up Bella and Edward 2.0.

"Edward, I've been thinking…I would really like to go with you to Forks on Saturday," I say, lowering my eyes to stare at his chest.

He grasps my chin and tilts my head up until I finally raise my eyes to his. "Really?" he asks. His eyes are all lit up. He's actually excited that I want to go.

I laugh. "Yes, really, Edward. I want to see your family, talk to Alice…but more than that, I don't want to waste any of the time we have before you have to go back home. You'll be so tired of me by Sunday that you'll be anxious to escape back to LA."

"The only thing I'll be anxious for when I get back to LA will be for you to get there on Thursday," he says, still grasping my chin and tipping it up to kiss my lips.

I shake my head slightly at him and smile. If they made a movie about us, it would be called _When the Granny Panty Wearer Met the Panty Melter. _I'm pretty sure I could do the Meg Ryan orgasm diner scene without a problem if Edward was sitting across from me. But _I_ wouldn't be faking it.

****

I wake up several hours later with a gasp. I look around the dark room, disoriented.

"Edward?" I ask.

"Look who's finally awake," he chuckles, then goes right back to sucking my clit. I feel him push two fingers inside me. I moan, as he starts moving them slowly in and out of me, hooking them slightly upward every time he's all the way in.

"Jesus, what are you doing to me?" I groan.

"Anything you ask me to," he answers, lifting his head, making me groan again. He lowers his head again, licking now. He moves his fingers faster.

"Don't stop," I beg, gripping the sheets with my hands.

When he realizes I'm close, he sucks at my clit again and reaches up with his free hand to pinch my nipple.

"Oh God, oh God, oh God," I yell as I come. I've never had a stronger orgasm. My ears are ringing and I am gasping for breath.

Still, he doesn't stop. He's gentler, slower, now, but not bringing me down. He's pushing me again and I have another, longer orgasm, moaning his name.

He brings me back down gently, finally removing his fingers. He kisses his way back up my body, stopping briefly at my breasts before reaching my lips.

"Bella, I don't have words to tell you what this means to me, what's happening with us. I wanted to show you what I'm feeling for you. I couldn't wait until morning. Go back to sleep, sweetheart," he says, lying down on his back beside me and gathering me to his side. I put my arm around him, put one leg between his and, sated and speechless again, do what I'm told.

****

"Where are you going?" he asks groggily as I sneak toward the bedroom door. I turn back and walk to the bed, bending down to where he's laying facing away from me.

"It's after 9. I thought I would make some breakfast for us. Eggs, French toast, pancakes…what sounds good?" I ask, hugging him from behind.

"You sound good," he says, tugging on my hand, trying to pull me back into bed.

"Sustenance, Edward, we need sustenance," I laugh against his neck. "I'll let you eat breakfast in my bed if you let me go cook it."

"In that case, get in the kitchen and cook me some food, woman!" he laughs, pushing my arms away.

"Watch it, mister, or breakfast will be the only thing you're getting in this bed," I retort, dropping a final kiss on his shoulder and laughing as I head for the kitchen.

While the griddle and oven are heating, I check my phone. I have texts from all three of the fairy godmothers.

***B – Objective #5 met yet? :P -A**

***B – SG live up to his name? -Em**

***B – Lily's lonely days over? -MK**

Smiling, I answer each of them.

***A – Mission successful -B**

***Em – omg, more than :P -B**

***MK – Lily has a friend -B**

My phone rings immediately. Ang.

"Hey, Ang," I answer.

"Hiya, B. You're on speaker. Jake is here in my office and we're trying to figure out the plan for tonight," she says.

"Hi, Jake," I say, grateful she told me before I launched into my story of the successful mission.

"Hi, Bells. I called you this morning. Why didn't you answer? Or do I not want to know?" he laughs.

"Moving on. What do you guys want?" I answer, laughing, too.

"I'm making sure you aren't trying to bail on me tonight," Jake says. "We planned this night out weeks ago. You promised Nessie you would come to watch Seth's band. You know she'll take it out on me if you don't show up."

"I know," I laugh. Nessie is infamous for taking her irritation with Jake's friends out on Jake. "I really was going to come, but I'm not sure now. I don't know if Edward will want to," I say. I frown as I realize I really don't know. I don't know if Edward likes bars or bands or going out.

"Well, ask him and call us back. I know he's there. And just to give you a heads up, James is suspicious that something's going on, too. He couldn't find Edward's cell phone number so he called the hotel and found out Edward checked out yesterday, then he called Edward's office and found out he's still in Seattle. I don't know why he's so weird about you, but he was an ass the whole afternoon yesterday after you and Edward left," Jake says.

"Jake, he's an ass everyday," I say, rolling my eyes.

"True. But he's also hinting around about wanting to come out with us tonight. He's trying to find out where we're all going."

"Don't tell James anything about tonight. I'm out for sure if you do. I'll call you back later."

****

I hang up and finish fixing breakfast. As I enter the bedroom with the tray, Edward sits up sleepily, rubbing his eyes.

"Something smells fantastic," he says, yawning.

"Well, it's not us. We smell like sex," I grin.

"Our sex is fantastic," he grins back.

"That it is," I agree, laughing as I set the tray down over him. I climb up beside him and we share the plate of food and the orange juice I brought.

"What should we do today?" he asks, chewing a bite of bacon.

"It's raining out. What's wrong with what we've been doing?"

"The sleeping or the sex?"

"Both," I giggle.

"I have no problem with either of those things. I just thought maybe you had something you wanted to do besides me," he replies cheekily.

"Ha ha. Do you have to work?" I ask.

"I need to check email and voicemail. Shouldn't take long, though," he replies.

I tell him about James looking for him and about Jake wanting us to come out tonight.

"Do you want to go tonight?" he asks.

"Kind of, but I don't know how you feel about bands and bars," I answer.

"I like both, especially if you're going to be there," he says.

"They want to eat dinner with us, too. When we planned this night a couple of weeks ago, we were going to take a limo, eat tapas, then head to the bar. Does that sound okay to you? We don't have to go," I say.

He laughs at me. "Bella, I already told you, I like your friends. I'd be happy to go to dinner and the bar with them. It sounds fun."

"And I get to bring you home with me at the end of the night," I say, smiling at him.

"And I get to bring you home with me tomorrow," he says, smiling back at me.

Crap! I forgot about tomorrow. I'm not smiling anymore.

"Are you sure it'll be okay with your family if I come?" I ask.

"My parents invited you, Bella. Don't let Alice scare you away," he says.

"I'm not scared, just nervous."

"Bella, you're unbelievably brave. You have survived worse things than my sister. It's going to be fine," he says, pulling me into his side.

I lift the sheet up a little to peek under the covers at him.

"What are you doing?" he laughs.

"Just seeing if you're still naked under there. And you are. So I don't think I should let that go to waste," I say, narrowing my eyes and smirking at him.

And I don't.

****

We don't spend the whole afternoon in bed. After we shower, Edward ends up having to work for about an hour, then he comes with me to the grocery store to stock up before the kids get home on Sunday. It's so nice to have someone over the age of ten with me at the store. He puts the food in the cart as I read off my list, lifts the cases of water and Gatorade for me and pushes the cart when it starts to get heavy. And in every aisle, he kisses me at least once. Usually these kisses are accompanied by some sort of a suggestive comment. Lily approves.

By the time we get everything put away back at my house, we don't have much time before Angela and Ben will arrive. Angela told me she was coming over early to give wardrobe approval so I don't even bother changing from my jeans and t-shirt.

I sit on the side of the bathtub while Edward gets ready, talking to him…watching him. He's telling me about the last conversation he had with Alice, standing in my front yard not knowing it was my front yard, with Aro and me standing behind him waiting.

"Alice was the client you were on the phone with?" I ask disbelievingly.

"Yes. I told Aro it was my biggest pain in the ass of a client; I just didn't tell him it was my sister. She is a client. And a pain in the ass. She's starting her own company and I'm doing the legal stuff for her. But that wasn't what she was calling about," he answers.

"What was she calling about?"

"She had one of her famous 'twin connection' feelings. She was calling to tell me to be open to whatever came my way this week, and that her feeling was it was something good." Our eyes meet in the mirror. We're both grinning stupidly.

"What did you say to that?"

"I said I had to get off the phone, that I was at some rich bitch's house for dinner with a client," he laughs.

"You called me a rich bitch?" I ask incredulously.

"Well, I didn't know it was you," he insists, still laughing. "I thought I was at some rich widow's house who was trying to charm the pants off my client and steal his company. You should have heard how Aro was talking about you the whole trip up here. I swear, I thought he was having an affair with this Bella DiClemente."

We both laugh at that.

"Alice is going to freak when she finds out it was me, huh?" I say sadly.

"Probably at first, Bella. But you know Alice, she overreacts and then calms down later. We can handle her," he says, turning to smile my favorite smile at me.

I like the way that sounds. "But I don't want her to think we're ganging up on her or anything," I say.

"My sister is a tough little chick. She'll recover. We'll just take it as it comes, okay?"

"Okay."

There's a knock at the bedroom door. Edward looks at me quizzically.

"Angela. She usually doesn't even knock. That's a concession on her part," I laugh.

"Come in," I call.

"Hi, you two," she singsongs. "Edward, Ben is waiting for you in the kitchen. He's already hitting the beer."

"Okay. I guess I'll see you in a little while?" he asks me. I stand up and kiss him as he passes me on his way out.

Once he's gone, Angela hands me the drink she's holding.

"I'm afraid to ask the name of this one," I say, taking a sip. "It's good, whatever it's called."

"Afterglow," she says smugly. We both laugh and she hugs me. "I'm so glad for you, Bella. It's been a big week for you."

"It has."

"And you are definitely glowing. So, I want deets," she says, sitting down on my vanity stool.

I answer her in generalities, saying only that we are having fun, having sex and it's all fantastic. I promise to give more detail later.

"Bella, I'm trying really hard not to gloat about my brilliant plan and how well it turned out for you, so I will only say this once: I am a mother fucking genius!" she laughs.

"You know, Angela, I have to agree," I laugh, too.

****

She approves of the dress I had laid out. It's a black and white pique shift with cutaway shoulders. It's sexy, but still casual enough for a bar.

When Angela and I come out of my room, the limo is just pulling up. We all get in and head downtown to pick up the others on the way to dinner.

The restaurant is loud and fun and we are all having a good time. Nessie is sitting by me and quizzing me incessantly about Edward and what's going on with us. I keep trying to catch Jake's eye to have him intervene, but he's ignoring me…on purpose I think. I ask her something about the wedding and successfully distract her from the Edward and Bella questions. On my other side, Edward and Ben are deep in conversation about the Lakers. Edward has his arm around the back of my chair and occasionally lifts his fingers up to brush across my shoulder. My fairy godmothers are sitting across from me and smiling. I roll my eyes at them, but can't contain my own smile.

After dinner the rain has stopped, so we walk the two blocks to the bar. Seth reserved a table for us at the corner of the stage. We sit and order drinks. We don't have to wait long for the show to begin. Damn, Seth's band is good…really good. I had no idea. They play for quite a while before taking a break. Seth comes to our table to say hi. He keeps staring at MK, eventually working his way down the table to sit by her and talk for a few minutes. When he has to go back onstage, I wink at MK and she beams back at me.

We've had one round of shots and three rounds of drinks by the time the band starts up again. I'm really glad Nessie asked me to come tonight. I lean over to her to tell her that and we end up hugging. Uh-oh. We must be getting buzzed. Nessie and I, although we're friends, aren't usually affectionate friends. I tell her how lucky Jake is to have her and she says how lucky Jake is to have me. We hug again.

"All right, drunky girls. Break it up," Jake laughs. He pulls Nessie away from me. I lean back against Edward and pick up my beer to take a drink.

"Do you know how sexy you are sitting here in your little dress with your lips wrapped around that beer bottle?" Edward says lowly in my ear.

I turn to smile at him. "I can't wait to get you home," I respond. He smiles back, kissing me.

I get up to go to the bathroom, making my way down the dim hallway toward the ladies room. When I come back out a few minutes later, Edward is waiting for me. He grabs my waist and pushes me back against the wall, crushing his mouth to mine. I wrap my arms around his neck and kiss him back hungrily.

"Jesus, SG, get a room. Aren't you guys a little old to be making out in the hallway of a dive bar?" Emma mutters as she goes by toward the ladies room. Edward and I laugh, but pull apart. He kisses me chastely once more before taking my hand and leading me back out to our table.

By the time the show is over, I'm feeling no pain, but feeling very horny.

"I need to go home. Now," I whisper to Edward.

We call for the limo. Everyone gets in except Emma and MK. Seth asked MK to stay for awhile, so Emma's staying with her. They promise to take a cab home.

We drop Jake and Nessie at their loft in the city then head toward my house. Angela and Ben and Edward and I talk and laugh the whole way home. We drop them off first and as the car heads around the long block to make the turn to my house, I hop on Edward's lap to kiss him. I feel his lips turn up into a smile.

"Bella, the car is stopped. I think we're supposed to get out."

"Tony doesn't care. I pay him a lot of money to not care," I laugh, but I do scoot toward the door where I can see Tony standing patiently outside.

We tell Tony thanks and head inside. I look over my shoulder to make sure Edward's following as I head straight for my bedroom. When we're in the little hallway leading to the bedroom door, he grabs me from behind and pulls me back tight against him. He kisses my shoulder and moves my hair to the side with one hand to kiss up my neck. I struggle to turn in his arms, needing to touch him.

He finally lets me turn and I grab his hips pulling him hard against me. We stumble a little until I'm pressed up against the wall and I slide my hands around to his ass, still pressing him against me. He moans against my neck where I'm pretty sure he's giving me another hickey. I move one hand up to his hair, pulling a little and trying to get his mouth up to mine.

He raises his head and looks into my eyes. His face softens and he smiles at me. I smile back and move my hands to the hem of his t-shirt, starting to lift it. He helps me take it off him and I run my hands down his bare chest, then lower, looking at him appreciatively.

"You're beautiful, Edward. Everything about you…so perfect," I say, drinking him in.

His hands are on the wall beside my head and he leans forward to kiss me softly, but our kisses quickly turn frantic. He grabs one of my legs and hitches it around his hip, running his fingers up the back of my thigh and under my thong to touch me.

"Baby, you're so wet," he moans. He plunges two fingers into me deeply, making me gasp.

"Only for you…always for you," I manage to say. I pull at the buttons on his jeans, trying to get to him. "I need you…I want you. Hurry," I tell him. He pulls his fingers out of me, grasping the sides of my thong to slide it down my legs.

I let go of him to help get my thong out of the way and he slides his jeans and boxers off, kicking them away. He pushes my dress up around my waist and lifts me to I can wrap my legs around his waist as he plunges into me. It is frenzied and fast for both of us and when I climax he follows.

"Bella," he says, leaning his head against the wall and kissing my shoulder.

"I know. Me, too," I answer.

He kisses my lips as he stands up straighter, walking us into my room. I am still wrapped around him and he sets me down on the bed, unzipping the back of my dress and pulling it off over my head. He pulls the covers down and I climb under them, holding my hand out to him. He takes it with a smile and lets me pull him into bed where I push him down on his back. I lie down beside him, wrapping one arm and one leg over him and laying my head on his shoulder. He kisses the top of my head and squeezes me with the arm he has around my back.

"Good night, Sex God," I say with a small laugh.

He hesitates before laughing with me. "Good night, sweetheart," he answers.

****

**A/N: I know, lots of schmexin' in this chappy. But they are so happy right now.**

**Would make my day if you would review!**

**Next chapter: Forks and the Cullen clan**


	13. Chapter 13

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight...if I did I would buy a hen house for me and my r/l besties :)  
We all love our husbands, but....girl time is a necessity

_C'mon you little fighter  
No need to get uptighter  
C'mon you little fighter  
And get back up again_.

****

Saturday morning I wake up to Edward brushing light kisses across my bare shoulder from behind me.

"Time to wake up, baby," he whispers. "We need to be on the road in an hour so we can make it to my parents' on time."

Holy hell. Why didn't I bail on this again? Because he called me brave? I'm not feeling very brave at the moment. But I can do this for Edward…and for myself. Even for Alice. Whether or not she forgives me, I need to apologize to her.

I scoot back closer to Edward so my back is pressed tightly against his front. "Well, good morning," I say with a chuckle, feeling his erection against me.

"Wanna take a shower with me?" he says gruffly in my ear.

"Oh, no. No way. We will never be out of here in an hour that way, mister," I laugh. "Rain check?"

"I'm holding you to it," he says, hugging me tightly.

"Somehow I doubt you'll have trouble getting me to pay up," I say. "You shower first and I'll make the coffee since I know the secret ingredient now."

"How do you know? Did Emma tell you?" he asks.

"No. You talk in your sleep," I tease.

He laughs. "You're lying. You're just trying to get me to say it now by bluffing me. Won't work. I had a whole semester of bluffing in law school."

"Fine. Whatever. You continue to be Emma's secret-keeper. Maybe she'll come shower with you," I say, trying to sound mad, but I can't contain the sigh when he sucks on a spot on my shoulder while his hand moves from my waist up to my breasts.

"I only want you, Bella," he murmurs against my back. "Just you."

"All right, SG. We've got to get up or we'll be late." I say, giggling and trying to pull away. He'll sway me over to the darkside if I don't get up right now. He's too tempting. And too handsy.

"I don't care if we're late. And, seriously, you're calling me SG now? I thought it was just Emma."

"I care if we're late. I'm anticipating enough problems with Alice today. Let's not add tardiness to my list of sins, okay?"

"Okay, but I want you all to myself tonight," he pouts.

I roll over to look at him, kissing him softly on the lips. "I think that can be arranged. And you're the one that keeps living up to the nickname, SG. Plus, Angela is the one who started it, Em's just trying to goad you," I laugh. "I'll tell you all about it on the way to Forks."

That earns me a smile and another kiss. Then I really do get up and go make coffee. Plain, uninspiring, not-as-good-as-Edward's coffee. When I take him a mug of my boring coffee, he doesn't seem to mind its lackluster flavor. In fact, he spends five minutes showing his appreciation and I have to hold the door of the shower closed for a minute to keep him from following me in.

****

The drive to Forks passes quickly. We talk the whole time. I tell him all about Angela's brilliant plan, the lingerie buying (he says that's his favorite part of the story) and MK's prediction that something would happen with the boy I couldn't stop thinking of the week before. I explain how he fell right into Angela's trap when he accompanied Aro to Seattle, relating all the texting and phone calls from her after she first saw him; how my girls couldn't stop gushing about him…and how much they really like him now as more than just an objectified Sex God. He is amused by the story…and somewhat embarrassed at how thoroughly my friends have been checking him out.

He tells me funny Emmett stories. He must know I'm getting more nervous because the closer we get to Forks, the funnier his stories become.

As we enter the city limits I realize I don't know where we're heading. "Hey, where do your parents live now? I never asked."

He chuckles as he answers, "They bought our old house back. That's how my mom convinced my dad to come back. He always loved that house and when she told him it was for sale and she would finally let him get a pool to entice the children and grandchildren, he went for it."

"It was a great house," I remark, although my fondness for that house had more to do with the people who lived in it than with the actual structure.

"Want to drive by Charlie's old house?" he asks, looking over at me and squeezing the hand he's holding.

"Maybe later. I just want to get this over with," I answer, chewing on my bottom lip.

"Bella, it's not a firing squad. It's going to be fine. I'll protect you from my sister," he chides.

"Edward, it's sweet and more than a little hot how you want to defend me, but I really need to take care of this myself. I have apologies to make and things I need to say, especially to Alice. So, promise me that you won't interfere, okay?" I say firmly.

"Okay," he answers, glancing at me again with a smile.

"What's the smile for?" I ask, frowning.

"You're impressing me again, spunky bad-ass. Don't back down from my sister. She's used to walking all over people, getting her way. Not usually maliciously, but still, walking all over is walking all over," he tells me.

"I'll try to make you proud," I say, smirking.

"You do without even trying, baby," he says softly, raising my hand to brush his lips across the inside of my wrist. I shake my head. Panty-melter.

We pull into the driveway of the house I used to think of as my second home. I smile involuntarily. It feels right being here.

Edward takes my hand again as we go in through the side door. It was my preferred entrance in high school, too. We walk down the short hallway that leads to the kitchen. Esme is standing at the counter with her back to us, humming along with the radio, arranging a platter of something.

"Mama, your baby boy has arrived!" Edward says loudly.

"Edward, you scared me to death," Esme laughs, turning around with her hand over her heart. "I didn't hear you two come in." She walks toward us, hugging and kissing Edward and then turning to me.

"Bella, we're so glad you could come," she smiles at me, pulling me into a tight embrace. "It's so wonderful to see you, so wonderful that you and Edward have gotten a chance to know each other again this week. I can't wait to hear all about your life." I return the embrace, not able to speak around the lump in my throat. I swallow away the sobs that want to come pouring out at seeing the woman who was more of a mother to me than my own was during my late teen years.

"What's all the commotion in here?" Carlisle says as he enters the kitchen, laughing.

"Hey, Dad," Edward says as they hug.

"Son, nice of you to finally make it home. And you brought Bella back to us. We've missed you," he says to me, pulling me into a fatherly hug.

"I've missed all of you, too. Thank you for inviting me today, for being so welcoming after everything that I did," I say, forcing myself to look both of them in the eyes.

"Oh, sweetie, that's water under the bridge. There's no need to apologize. We're just thrilled you're here," Esme says sweetly, hugging me again. "Come on, let's go out back. Boys, you bring out the antipasto platter and drinks," she says to Carlisle and Edward.

She keeps an arm around my shoulders and leads me out the back door to the pool area. I see Emmett and Rose and two blond-headed boys. Emmett turns and sees us coming.

"Smella!" he yells, using what was always my least favorite of his nicknames for me. It actually sounds kind of good to me now, reminding me that I was once like his little sister. "Rose, look who's here!"

"Hi, Emmett," I laugh as he picks me up and swings me around. He sets me back on my feet right in front of Rose, who is looking none too pleased to see me. This is how she always used to look, though, so I don't know if she's really unhappy or just normal unhappy. "Hi, Rosalie," I say tentatively.

"Never thought we'd see you again," she says sourly. Esme clears her throat. "What?" Rose says to Esme, shrugging her shoulders. "I didn't think we'd ever see her again. I didn't say I wasn't marginally _happy_ to see her again," she says, smirking.

Edward joins us, putting an arm around my shoulders, and Rose aims for him next.

"Does Alice know you're bringing a guest today?" she asks with raised eyebrows.

"No. I haven't talked to Alice since Monday," Edward replies.

"Wait! Let me pull up a chair. I want a good seat for the fireworks," Rose laughs.

Just then a dark-haired boy comes running out the back door, calling out hellos to his grandparents and aunt and uncles before doing a perfect cannonball into the pool to join his cousins.

"It's showtime," Rosalie chirps.

A younger version of the boy who just ran by comes through the door next. "Uncle Edward!" he calls. Edward bends down to pick him up.

"Hey, Griffin. How are you?" he smiles at his nephew.

"Who's the lady?" Griffin asks. We all laugh.

"Griffin, this is my friend, Bella. Bella, this is my nephew, Griffin," Edward introduces us. I say hello and then turn back toward the door when I hear talking inside.

I hear Alice before I see her. As she comes through the door, she's yelling, "Edward Anthony Masen Cullen, get over here and hug your twin!" She's holding a curly-headed baby girl and laughing…until she sees me.

"Look, Mommy, Uncle Edward brought his friend, Bella. How come I never get to bring a friend?" Griffin asks.

Jasper comes out the door behind Alice. His eyes widen when he sees me, but then he smiles at me and says, "Hello, Bella. It's great to see you." I respond with a hello, but I'm too busy trying to read Alice to really pay attention to Jasper.

Alice turns to Jasper. "Take the baby," she says flatly. He does. She walks right up to me.

"Hi, Alice," I say softly, aware that everyone is standing here, watching us. I'm afraid for a moment that she's going to slap me.

"Bella, I'd like to speak to you privately," she says angrily.

"Hang on, Alice --," Edward starts.

"No, Edward. It's okay. I want to talk to her," I say, my eyes never leaving hers even though I'm addressing Edward.

Alice turns on her heel and stomps back inside the house. I know I'm supposed to follow so I do.

Behind me, Emmett says, "Stinkerbell, you holler if you need help. I got your back." How come he only remembers the nicknames where I smell bad?

Edward answers for me. "She won't need help, Emmett. You should see her now. She's a total bad-ass." That comment gives me the boost I need as I head down the hall following Alice to the study.

She shuts the door after I enter and wheels around to face me. Whoa. She is more pissed than I realized.

"What the hell are you doing here? Have you not hurt my brother enough?" she seethes.

"Alice, I'll be happy to talk to you about Edward in a minute. First, though, I want to say the things I need to say to you," I say quickly. "I am so sorry for what I did. I've been haunted by the things I said to you that night so long ago. I shouldn't have said what I did, I should have apologized immediately, I should have done so many things differently. But I am sorry. And I've missed you."

"You have a lot of nerve, coming here to my parents' house and saying those things to me," she says, still boiling mad. "I don't know how you managed to get back in everybody else's good graces so quickly, but I don't forgive as easily as they do."

"I remember," I remark with a wry smile.

"Don't you dare try to humor me. Do you have any idea what you put my brother through? Any idea at all how much you hurt him?" she rips into me.

"No, I don't. I imagine it's similar to the pain I caused myself. I'm sorry I hurt both of you…all of you," I say, tears springing to my eyes. This ticks her off even more.

"No. No. You don't get to cry about this," she sneers. "Jesus, what is he thinking?"

"You'll have to ask Edward that question," I answer calmly, still fighting tears.

"How did you two hook up again?" she asks icily.

"Edward is the lawyer for the company that my company is buying. He came to my house for dinner with his client and things just sort of took off from there." I say with a slight grin, because I can't help but smile when I think of everything that's happened this week.

She tilts her head and narrows her eyes at me. I recognize this look. It's Alice's version of my James look. "So, you're the rich bitch. I was talking to him on the phone when he got to your house. He didn't know it was your house; he said it was some rich lady's gigantic house. Did _you_ know _he_ was coming?" she asks. It sounds like she's accusing me of luring Edward to my house.

"No, Alice. I didn't know Aro was bringing his lawyer until that afternoon and I didn't know Edward was the lawyer until he arrived at my house," I answer through clenched teeth, irritated now.

"And he forgave you? Just like that," she snaps her fingers.

"It's a long story. Neither of us was very nice at first. There was one rather large misunderstanding. But eventually we talked and decided we wanted to get to know each other again, see what happens," I state simply.

She nods angrily and paces back and forth in front of her father's desk. She stops and glares at me.

"I heard you got married awhile back, so where is your husband? Did you throw him away like you threw my brother away?" she asks, her eyes narrowed.

The tears begin sliding down my face full force. "No, Alice. My husband died. Three years ago," I answer quietly. I want to look down at the floor, but stop myself. Spunky bad-ass Bella doesn't back down.

"Oh my God, Bella. I didn't know," she says, covering her mouth with her hands. Tears are gathering in her eyes now. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that."

"You don't have to apologize. You didn't know," I answer, wiping away the tears that have fallen.

She sniffles and uses her hands to fan away the tears still in her eyes. It's completely silent in the room for a couple of minutes.

She sighs heavily. "Look, Bella, I don't really know you anymore. You don't know me and you sure as hell don't know Edward. When you disappeared from his life, it devastated him. It took him years to recover emotionally, which he probably won't tell you. I will not watch him go through that again. So when you get back to Seattle, cut him loose, okay? Go back to your rich, single life and leave my family alone," Alice says, cutting me with her steel blue eyes.

I look away for a minute before turning back to her. I nod, pursing my lips. "You're right, Alice. You don't know me anymore. If you did, you'd know that I'm not the same timid girl I used to be. I don't let anyone tell me what to do," I say, pissed now, too. "I've apologized to you. Forgive me, don't forgive me. It's your choice. But I won't stand here and be dragged over the coals again and again for the same shit. It's a waste of my time." I turn and open the door to the study. Then turn back to her.

"I don't know yet what is happening between your brother and me, but I will not cut him loose to please you or anyone else. Whatever happens with Edward and me from here out is up to us, not to you. Butt the fuck out!" I say loudly.

I hear applause from behind me and turn to see Rose standing in the open doorway. I'd be willing to bet she's been listening the whole time. "Well said, Bella," she says. "Come on, we're waiting on you two to eat lunch."

She puts her arm through mine and pulls me toward the back door. "You, too, Alice. Your mom said to get your skinny butt outside immediately." She laughs over her shoulder. Then she whispers to me, "Edward is right. You are a bad-ass. Nobody talks to Alice like that and lives to tell about it. Welcome back, Bella." She laughs and squeezes the arm she's holding.

****

Alice pouts all through lunch. When Esme, Rose and I move to the chairs by the pool to watch the kids swim afterward, she won't join us.

"I love my daughter, but she does have a stubborn streak. I think she gets it from Carlisle," Esme laughs. Rose and I laugh with her, knowing that Esme can be as stubborn as they come. "Bella, you'll just have to give her time. She'll come around. I probably should have told her in advance that you were coming, but I was afraid she'd come at you with both barrels blazing if she had time to prepare a speech."

"I don't want to upset her. I feel bad that I've ruined her day," I say, looking over to the table where Alice is sitting, holding her baby and talking to Edward. His head is bent close to hers and he's talking almost nonstop. I see her reach up and wipe away tears.

"Bella, quit looking over there guiltily. She's been pushing him around for years. It's okay for him to push back a little," Rose chides. "So, you two shacking up this week?"

"Rose!" I burst out laughing.

"It's okay. Esme already told me all about how Edward kept calling her this week asking for advice on how to not screw this up. And I know Esme and Carlisle sent him to your house Wednesday after they had dinner, too. Carlisle told me that yesterday. And I kept my damn mouth shut for 24 hours, didn't even tell Emmett. So at least throw me a little bone here," she says. Esme and I both laugh harder. I'm sure I'm blushing, but I don't even care anymore. I look back over at Edward and our eyes meet. He is smiling at seeing me laughing with his mother and sister-in-law. Then I look at Alice. Big mistake. She looks miserable.

I decide to refocus on the women who _are_ speaking to me. I turn to Esme and ask, "Edward's been calling about me?"

Esme looks conflicted. "I'm not sure I should tell you this, but yes, a couple of times. He was very happy to see you again, Bella, and he called before he took you to dinner and asked if he should bring flowers. I said yes, but not to bring something cliché, like roses. I thought you needed something different because this is a different relationship, wherever it goes. What did he bring you?"

"Lilies," I respond, smiling. "Light pink lilies. They were beautiful." Esme and Rose smile back at me.

Before I can get any more information from Esme, Edward comes to stand behind me, placing his hands on my shoulders. He tells Rose about how Aro and I made it sound like I was getting married and how I got caught the next day when Nessie arrived in the conference room. We all laugh.

"Bella, you really have changed a lot," Rose says. She reaches over to pat my leg. "I never knew you had it in you to be such an evil genius. Impressive."

"Then the next night, Bella's friends kidnapped me and subjected me to 20 minutes--," he begins.

"Twenty-two minutes," I correct, looking up at him.

"--twenty-two minutes of what can only be termed an interrogation session, followed by a lecture and several stern warnings," Edward continues.

"What did they say to him?" Rose asks me, giggling.

"None of them will tell me," I complain. But I'm smiling.

"Rose, Bella has a friend who is scary, maybe even scarier than you. She forbade me to tell a soul what went on in that room and threatened me with bodily harm if I ever blabbed."

"She even got him to pinky swear about keeping her secret coffee ingredient a secret," I laugh.

"She got me to pinky swear about it and mean it," he says, laughing, too. Rose laughs so hard that her chair starts to tip over and Edward has to grab it and set it upright again.

"I am not giving her any reason to come after me," Edward finishes, putting his hands back on my shoulders and leaning down to kiss the top of my head. I reach one of my hands up to squeeze his on my shoulder and he intertwines our fingers. Esme is smiling knowingly at us. Rose is smirking again.

Rose's two sons, Jordan and Jackson, and Alice's oldest son, Grant, run up to us.

"Uncle Edward, Dad and Grandpa said they'd play football with us if you'll play, too," Jackson says excitedly. "It's us and you against Dad, Grandpa and Uncle Jasper. Okay?"

"Okay," Edward answers. "I don't know why I always get stuck with you twerps, though," he teases.

"Hurry up! We're skins!" Jackson calls to Edward as the boys run off toward the yard.

Edward takes his shirt off and hands it to me. "You ladies coming to watch?" he asks.

Oh, yeah. I wouldn't miss it.

****

We move over to the side yard, carrying chairs to watch the big game. Alice comes too, sitting on the other side of Esme, but still refusing to talk to me. We cheer for both teams, laughing at their antics. Edward's team is winning, mostly because the other team isn't trying very hard. The little boys dog pile on Emmett several times at Edward's direction, so it isn't surprising when Emmett and Jasper gang up to take Edward down. When they finally let him up, he smiles in my direction. I grin back.

Rose leans over to me and whispers, "Really? A hickey? I assume that's your handiwork on his chest, right?"

I know I'm blushing as I whisper back, "He started it. I have one in the same spot." We giggle and I notice Alice looking over at us. Fresh guilt. I can't let it get to me, though. I've made peace with what I did and I've apologized. Alice will either get over it or she won't. I don't have any control over that.

Rose leans forward to look around me at Esme. "You know, Esme, we should drive up to Seattle for the day, have lunch with Bella and see her offices. I have a sitter on Wednesdays for the boys. Are you free for lunch on Wednesday, Bella?" she asks me.

"Yeah, I think I am. I have a pretty light schedule this week until Thursday," I answer.

"Then it's a date!" Rose exclaims. She and Esme excitedly start planning their shopping day. I'm really glad they want to come visit.

I offer to go get bottled water for the football players from the cooler on the patio. Once my arms are full I turn to walk back to the yard. Alice is standing on the edge of the patio.

I start to walk past her when she says, "Bella, please, just don't hurt him. Don't let him fall in love with you all over again if you don't feel the same," she pleads with her big blue eyes.

"It's only been five days. Neither of us knows where this is going right now, but I do really care about him. I don't want him hurt, either," I reply honestly.

I start walking again.

"You cared about him before. Didn't stop you from hurting him then. How do you know you won't do it again?" she asks.

I guess she's not going to butt the fuck out like I asked.

I take a deep breath before answering her.

"You're right, Alice. I can't know what will happen in the future, whether one of us will end up hurting the other, whether I will end up hurting him. But today, of the two of _us_," I say forcefully, "you're the one hurting Edward. Not me."

She sniffles.

"Do you know that right now _my_ mom and _my_ sister-in-law are out there gushing about how excited they are to go to Seattle and see you? They didn't even invite me. One day and already everyone in my family is on your side," Alice says dejectedly.

"There aren't sides, Alice. Everything doesn't have to be a fight," I say, defeated.

"It feels that way to me. We were best friends. I've waited 15 years for you to write, call, show up on my doorstep, something, and you didn't. And then you just show up here today with Edward and expect me to forgive you. You never even tried to get in touch with me."

I sigh. "Alice, I did try to find you after you went to LA. I called UCLA, but they wouldn't give me any information about you. I tried to find you through your dad, but he was impossible to find. After awhile, I figured you'd moved on. And I was pretty sure you wouldn't forgive me today."

We are both teary-eyed, staring at each other.

"I wish you and Edward hadn't met again. I wish you hadn't come here today at all," she says, pissy again. I feel the tears start to overflow.

"Alice, what the fuck is wrong with you?" Emmett growls as he comes out the door from the kitchen. "You're lucky it's me and not Edward who heard that comment."

"What comment?" Edward says, coming out the door next.

No one answers. He looks pointedly at me. "What comment, Bella? What did she say to you?"

"Edward, please, just let it drop. Alice and I have a difference of opinion," I answer, trying to wipe away the evidence that I've been crying without dropping all the bottled water.

Rose and Esme come out the door next. They look at the four of us standing there, Alice glaring at me, Edward glaring at Alice.

"Alice, I'm kicking your ass for real if you're still pulling this shit with your brother," Rose says.

Esme pipes up, "Rosalie, we have a guest."

"I know, Esme, but Alice is the one who apparently needs to be reminded how we Cullens treat our guests because she has acted like a spoiled rotten brat all day today about something that happened when we were teenagers. She made Edward feel guilty for years for driving away her best friend and now she's going to try and make him feel guilty for bringing her back. Jesus, Alice. Why do you have to make everything about you?

"I know how your mind works. You're not upset about Edward dating Bella again, you're upset that he found her first, that no one came running to you for approval. Why can't you just let your brother be happy for once? Look at him, Alice. Really look. He's freaking on cloud nine here. So get over yourself and give your brother and his girlfriend a fucking break from the bitchfest."

We all stand in silence for a minute. Alice has tears running down her cheeks now. Edward moves to stand behind me and wrap his arms around my shoulders. As usual, Emmett provides the comic relief.

"God, babe, that speech was so hot. Mom, can the boys stay here tonight?" he asks, prompting us all to laugh. Well, everyone except Alice. She turns and heads into the house.

****

A/N: More Alice coming up....and Bella's kids come home tomorrow in story time :)

Thanks for reading...please review


	14. Chapter 14

_Drink to all that we have lost  
__Mistakes we have made  
__Everything will change  
__But love remains the same_

****

"You should go talk to her," I murmur to Edward. He starts to grab the water bottles out of my hands. "Edward, I'll do this. You go talk to Alice. She's hurting," I insist.

"Only you would send me to comfort someone who's been mean to you all day," he remarks, smiling at me. He kisses me quickly on the lips then goes inside.

"It's true, you know, what I said," Rose says as she helps me set the waters down on the table. "She's really just hurt. She will come around, Bella. This is a classic Alice overreaction."

"I hope you're right, Rose." I say honestly. "And I appreciate your support, but I do not want Alice to feel like you're siding with me, against her. Please don't fight with her about me."

"Bella, just because I'm nicer now doesn't mean I've gone totally soft, so I'll only say this once. Seeing Edward so happy today, I'd have to be a real bitch not to support both of you and whatever it is you two have going. He hasn't really been happy for a long time and as much as he irritates me, he is my brother, blood or not. You are doing something right. Just don't fuck it up again!" She laughs.

"I'll second that," Emmet says, smiling. He kisses me on the cheek and hugs me with one arm.

"Amen," Esme says. I look over at her. She shrugs her shoulders. "What? I want you both happy. I want my surrogate daughter back. I want both of you to not screw this up, and I have faith in you both that you've learned that lesson."

"Thank you, Esme," I say softly, going to hug her.

"Welcome home, Bella," she whispers in my ear.

****

While sitting at the patio table, Rose and I trade cell phone numbers and I text her directions to my office for Wednesday. I show her and Esme some pictures of my kids that I have on my phone.

Jasper comes out to the patio and pulls up a chair beside me.

"So, Bella, how you doing?" he asks, laughing. "Because my wife is not taking this so well."

I cringe as I respond, "I know and I feel terrible. I don't know what to say to her to make it right between us…or not even make it right, but make it not awful."

"You know that she doesn't mean what she's saying. She'll be very upset with herself when she calms down and realizes what she's done. She just needs time. I think it's shock more than anything that caused this reaction today," Jasper says. "But I'll deny it if you tell her I said that."

We all laugh.

"In retrospect, Edward and I should have warned her," I offer.

"Maybe, maybe not. She can be scary when she gets riled up about something. Usually it's aimed at me, so I guess I should thank you for bearing the brunt of her anger today," he smiles at me.

"Anytime, Jasper. You just let me know when you're in trouble and I'll do my best to piss her off so she comes after me instead."

"I knew I could count on you, Bella," he laughs.

Edward comes back outside a few minutes later and sits with us. He smiles at me, but his eyes are a little red.

"How's Alice?" Rose asks.

"Still pissed. But wearing down. I think there's a good chance she'll be completely over it in a couple of years," he answers sarcastically.

"Give her a little credit," Rose counters. "It'll probably just take one year." They both chuckle.

"Should I go talk to her again?" I ask.

"I think you two have inflicted enough damage on each other for today," Edward answers.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have been mean to her."

"Bella, that's silly. You know you have to stand up to her or she'll bully you into doing what she wants. That's her M.O. Even her kids have figured that out," Rose laughs. Jasper nods, but wisely doesn't say anything out loud.

"Want to go take a drive around Forks?" Edward asks me.

"Sure," I agree.

"Be back by 5 for leftovers," Esme says. "Have fun."

****

We drive by Charlie's old house, reminiscing about all the times he climbed up the tree out front and sneaked into my window. His curfew was quite a bit later than mine, so most weekends from midnight to 2 am he was with me in my room. We both smile at the memories, some innocent, some not.

I pull out my iPhone and start a list.

"What are you doing?" he asks.

"Making a list for the security system guy of all the windows I want alarmed before my kids become teenagers," I laugh. He laughs with me.

"Bella, you know you can't stop them from doing some of the stuff we did. They will find ways around you just like we found ways around our parents."

"Zip it, SG. You are not making me feel better," I say, holding an arm across my stomach. I suddenly feel nauseous.

He laughs harder and leans across the console to kiss me. "It'll be all right, baby. Look how good we turned out."

Looking at him, I have to agree. I think he's pretty great…and hot.

We drive through the blink-and-you'll-miss-it downtown. I haven't been here in more than ten years, so a lot has changed. I'm sad to see that the mom and pop hardware store is gone, but glad that my dad's favorite diner is still going strong.

"Is our meadow still there?" I ask quietly, recognizing that we're heading in that direction.

"As far as I know. I haven't been there in years. Think we should go see?" he asks.

I'm not sure. We had so many good memories in the meadow…and one very bad. It was where the big fight started. Oh, what the hell. I'm trying to exorcise all my demons this week.

"Yeah, I think we should, if it's still there."

We drive out to the trail that leads to the meadow in silence, each of us lost in our own thoughts. I am reliving the series of very bad decisions I made that last night, remembering how 'the argument' got out of hand so quickly and turned into 'the breakup'. I sigh. Edward reaches over to take my hand, but neither of us says anything.

He parks at the end of the lane and we both get out. We hold hands again on the trail as we walk the hundred or so yards to the clearing. I stop and smile as we reach the edge. It looks the same. Green grass is surrounded by tall, stately trees and sprinkled with colorful wildflowers. It's exactly the way I've pictured it in my head hundreds of times in the last 15 years.

I look up at Edward. He's smiling, too. The happy memories outweigh the sad for both of us, I guess. I turn toward him and wrap my arms around his waist. I tip my head up to place some kisses on his neck.

"I think we should make a happy grown-up memory, as long as we're here," I say.

"Bella Swan DiClemente, are you propositioning me?" he says, grinning down at me.

"You really have to ask? Jeez, I thought you had to be smart to get into law school," I tease.

He leans down to kiss me softly. "I didn't think to bring a blanket. Hey! I have two dress shirts in the car. I can go back and get them."

"The ones hanging in the back? Aren't they clean though?" I ask, laughing.

"Yeah, but I don't care. They'll keep the dirt off you," he smirks.

"No, baby, they'll keep the dirt off you," I raise one eyebrow at him. He swallows visibly.

"I'll be right back. Stay right here. Don't move," he says, kissing me in between each statement. I laugh.

"Yes, sir."

"Oh, my god. That just turned me on more. Don't move."

He gets back pretty quickly carrying his two white dress shirts.

"Edward, they'll be ruined," I whine.

"This was your idea. You can't back out now." He looks panicked. It's cute.

"I'm not backing out; I'm just saying maybe we shouldn't completely trash your shirts."

"Well, we can't go back to my parents' house with grass stains and dirt all over us, so this is the best solution." He hands me the shirts.

"All right, then, nature boy. Lead me into temptation." Giving in to him is becoming my favorite hobby.

"The pleasure is mine." Ah, my favorite lop-sided grin.

"And mine."

"Where to? The middle or the treeline?" he asks, bending down slightly for me to hop on him piggyback.

"The middle," I say, hopping on. "It's fitting, I think, to make a grown up memory in the same spot where we had our first memory…well, _my_ first memory. You were a manwhore…no a boywhore. You weren't even a man yet." I laugh.

"I don't think two other girls in high school before I even met you made me a boywhore," he says, laughing, too. I don't answer but suck lightly on the side of his neck.

We reach the center of the meadow and he sets me down gently. I take the shirts and lay them down, shaking my head at the thought of ruining these probably very expensive shirts.

I kick my sandals to the side and kneel down, smiling and holding my hand up to Edward. He takes it and kneels down in front of me.

"Edward," I say softly, pulling his head down to mine, pressing tiny kisses all over his face before finally kissing his lips. We kiss tenderly for a long time, hands roaming each other's bodies, touching gently. He breaks the kiss to pull off my shirt and then his own. He lifts his hands to cup my breasts, kneading them, kissing me again. I reach behind my back and undo the clasp of my bra, needing his hands on my skin. I pull it off quickly, sighing as I get what I want.

He sits back on his heels. "Come here, baby," he says, wrapping his arms around me and pulling me to him. I cling to his neck and continue kissing him as he tips me backward and lowers me to the ground. He moves lower, kissing down my neck to my breasts. I moan as he sucks at first one nipple then the other.

"Bella, look at me," he says softly. I open my eyes. "This is perfect. You are perfect," he says gazing at me intently.

"Edward…this has been the best adult week of my adult life," I say, smiling.

"Mine, too," he responds, kissing my breasts again. He sits up to unbutton my shorts; I lift up to let him slide my shorts and panties off. "I don't have the patience now, but I definitely want another look at that thong later," he says hoarsely.

I sit up to unbutton his shorts and he pulls them off quickly. We kiss again, lying back. My eyes slide shut.

"Don't close your eyes, baby. Look at me," he says. When I do, he thrusts into me with a groan. He stays completely still for a moment, looking into my eyes.

"Edward," I whisper. I reach my hands up to frame his face.

"Bella, it's only like this with you," he whispers back, his deep green eyes intense.

"I know, baby. For me, too," I answer. I pull his face down to mine. We are both smiling as our lips meet. He starts to move and I wrap my legs around him.

We make love slowly - finally - trying to drag it out, slowing down when we get too frenzied, until I finally tell him I can't take it anymore, begging him to go faster. He does, driving us both to our releases…and off the shirts, into the grass.

He collapses onto me, shaking with laughter.

"What's so funny, Romeo?" I ask, laughing too just because he is.

"Your hair. It's a big mess. Everyone's going to know what we've been doing," he manages to say.

"Then let me up, Sex God. Or I'll tell Emmett and Jasper that's my friends' nickname for you," I giggle.

"You wouldn't," he says, raising up to look me in the eyes.

"Oh, I would," I threaten, then squeal when he tickles me.

"I want to lie here, with you, in our meadow for just a little longer," he says, kissing me softly. He sits up and pulls my wrist so I sit up, too, then he lays down on his back and pulls me on top of him. I struggle out of his grasp and sit up to grab the shirt we're not really lying on then put it on before lying back down on top of him.

"Don't put that shirt between us," he says gruffly while pulling at the material until we are chest to chest again. "Why are you always trying to get dressed right after sex?"

"I don't know. I just don't want my ass hanging out where anybody walking by could see it," I answer.

"But it was okay when it was my ass hanging out?" he asks.

"Of course, Cullen. You have a much nicer ass than I do," I laugh and kiss him. A lot. And I know by now where kissing Edward a lot leads. I am not disappointed. Before long, rubbing and grinding accompany the kissing. I sit up and Edward immediately reaches for my breasts.

"You look so fucking sexy, Bella, with your hair messed up, wearing my shirt," he says.

"I want you," I say, closing my eyes.

"Take what you want, baby," he says.

I raise up and lower myself onto him. My need for him, for the release I have only ever gotten with him, drives me to move faster and he holds my hips to help me.

"Oh my god, Edward," I groan as I come. He grasps my hips tighter and keeps moving me, thrusting upward again and again until he comes.

"Bella," he breathes, grabbing the front of the shirt and pulling me down to kiss him. I lift myself off him and lie down fully prone on top of him.

"I never want to get up," I say, pressing kisses anywhere I can reach without having to move.

He chuckles and wraps his arms around me. "Me neither. Let's just stay here 'til we expire. Someday they'll just find our skeletons and these two white dress shirts."

"And they'll know we died happy," I say.

****

We do eventually get up, just in time to make it back to the Cullen's for dinner. I find a ponytail holder at the bottom of my purse and try my best to save my makeup so it's not completely obvious that we've been out shagging. Edward says I still look well-fucked though. I'm not sure if I look it, but I feel it. He wads up the dress shirts and stows them in the trunk. I'm totally keeping one of them, ruined or not, as a souvenir.

When we get back to the house, Esme and Rose are in the kitchen pulling out leftovers. I stay inside to help while Edward goes out back to find the other guys.

"Have a nice time, dear?" Esme asks, turning to look at me. I feel my face begin to redden. I grin and look at her out of the corner of my eyes.

Rosalie starts to laugh hysterically. "I think that's a 'yes', Esme," she manages to get out. "For god sakes, don't ask her what they did. She might have a stroke. I think we can guess what they did, anyway. Forks is tiny, there's not that much to see. But they've been gone almost two hours."

Esme just smiles at me and puts an arm around my shoulders, giving a little squeeze.

"Thank you for putting the light back in my son's eyes."

"He put the light back in mine, too," I say.

"That's the way it should be, Bella." And I know in the deepest part of my soul, that she's right.

****

We decide to leave shortly after dinner to make the drive back to Seattle. Everyone except Alice hugs me goodbye. Alice mysteriously disappeared inside the house with all the kids when we said we were going.

Edward and I are in the driveway when she comes flying out the side door.

"Wait! Edward, I want to say goodbye," she calls out, coming toward us. She kisses and hugs him, then turns to me. "I'm sorry if I was a bitch today," she says quietly.

If?

"Me, too," I answer. I wasn't as mean as she was, but I did probably hurt her feelings.

"Well, I'll let you two get on the road. Drive safely. I'll talk to you soon, Edward," she says and turns back toward the house.

Edward and I exchange confused looks and shrugs and get in the car.

We aren't as chatty on the way back as we were on the way there, but we talk some and we hold hands the whole way. I lean over to kiss his shoulder often or raise our joined hands to my mouth. The level of comfort and contentment I feel with him just seems to keep growing.

We are getting close to my house when I feel compelled to tell him exactly what I'm feeling.

I turn toward him to say, "Edward, no matter what happens after this weekend, I want you to know that this has been the best week. I've loved every minute I've been able to spend with you."

"Are you planning to dump me already?" he grins over at me.

"Hardly. I'm just saying, if we both go back to our lives and decide not to continue _this_," I say because I'm not sure what to call it, "I have no regrets."

"I have no regrets, either. But I am slightly alarmed that you're bringing this up. Are you not aware of how much I care about you even now? How much I want this to work? What I'm willing to do to make it work?"

"I'm willing to work at this, too. Why are you freaking out?"

"Because you're making it sound like I'm going to go back to LA and never see you again," he answers testily.

"I didn't mean that. Quit putting words in my mouth. I just mean that long-distance relationships are difficult to maintain," I say through gritted teeth.

"You've done harder things in your life, Bella, than making a long-distance relationship work. You cared for your husband when he was sick, you're running a company by yourself, you went through childbirth twice," he asserts. I can't keep up: is he pissed at me or impressed by me?

"No childbirth for me. I had C-sections, with lots of drugs, no pain. Is that what you want to hear? That I take the easy way out, quit anything that's too hard?" I ask. How did we end up fighting? I started this by telling him what a great week I've had?

We are now stopped in my driveway.

"No, that's not what I want to hear," he says quietly, looking out the window on his side.

"This is fucking ridiculous. I'm going in," I say. I unlock the front door and go in, leaving the door open wide so he knows I'm expecting him to come in.

I head for the kitchen and get a bottle of water from the fridge, drinking half of it before setting the bottle down. I guess meadow sex dehydrates you. I roll my eyes thinking how this stupid fight is exactly like fights we used to have where something small and stupid gets blown out of proportion and ends up being a big damn deal.

Then I think about how Esme said she had faith that we wouldn't screw this up again. I don't want her faith to be misplaced so I make a plan.

I start to head toward my bedroom, toward the shower. Edward still hasn't come in.

As I walk through the living room, I kick off my shoes and leave them in the middle of the floor. I take a few more steps and discard my shirt, again on the floor. A few more steps and drop my shorts…then my bra…and lastly the thong, which I hang from the doorknob of my room.

I turn on the shower and get in, letting the hot water soothe away the tension. I've shampooed and rinsed when the shower door opens.

"I'm sorry," he says, looking miserable.

"I'm sorry, too," I answer. "Where's your phone?"

He looks confused by the question, but answers, "On your dresser."

"Thank God," I smile, pulling him, fully clothed, into the shower with me.

I push him up against the tiled wall and kiss him passionately. I pull at his soaking clothes trying to get them off. He helps, laughing.

"Why were we fighting?" he says.

"Because you overreacted to some stupid comment I made," I answer, smiling against his chest.

"I don't want to fight with you," he says, tipping my chin up with his hand.

"Okay, then I'll promise to try to keep my stupid comments to a minimum if you promise to try not to overreact to them when I slip up," I offer, linking my arms around his neck.

"Deal," he replies. "Can I wash you off now?"

I nod and laugh. We wash each other, some parts more thoroughly than others. I look wistfully at the built-in shower bench, but my thighs are already so sore from last night and earlier today that I just don't think I can make it work tonight. But I also can't wait any longer. I turn off the water and grab two towels, wrapping one around myself and drying him minimally with the other, licking some of the water drops off his chest and back as I do.

We try to make it to the bed. I swear we do. But we don't. We end up on the floor a few feet away from the bed, taking each other frantically. Afterwards, he collapses on top of me.

"Ouch," he says.

"What's wrong, baby? Did I break you?" I ask smiling.

"No. Rug burn. Knees. Probably bleeding on carpet," he answers against my shoulder.

I giggle at the caveman-speak. "I'm so sorry. Why don't you get in bed and nurse Bella will kiss them and make them better," I say suggestively.

"In that case, there are some other places that hurt, too," he laughs, getting up and pulling me up, too.

It's going to be a long night.

****

**A/N: Thanks for reading! Please review :)**

**Kids make their first appearance next chapter...**


	15. Chapter 15

_Love is the answer  
at least for most of the questions in my heart, like  
Why are we here? And where do we go?  
And how come it's so hard?  
It's not always easy and  
sometimes life can be deceiving  
I'll tell you one thing, it's always better when we're together_

****

Waking up Sunday with Edward is bittersweet. I've gotten used to this over the last few days and I know I will miss him tomorrow. Maybe I'll ask Jake to call me super early so I don't have a chance to lie here and wallow.

We are on our sides facing each other. He's still sleeping, so I just lie there and stare at him. He starts to open his eyes, blinking sleepily a couple of times before closing them again.

"What are you smiling about, beautiful?" he asks groggily. I wasn't even aware that I was smiling. It just seems to happen around him.

"You. Us. I like having you here," I reply. I scoot up in the bed so I can get an arm around his neck and I pull him to me, holding him the way he usually holds me. He wraps an arm around me and pushes one of his legs between mine…and goes back to sleep. I kiss the top of his head and lie there a little longer trying to imprint everything that's happened this week forever in my memory.

A few minutes later I carefully extract myself from him and go out to the kitchen to start breakfast. I'm standing at the griddle flipping blueberry pancakes when he walks in.

"How come you never cook naked?" he asks.

I laugh. "Good morning to you, too. Um, several reasons. Have you met my nosy neighbors? They come over unannounced way too much for me to ever come out of the bedroom naked. And hot griddle, hot stove, plus exposed dangly parts is a potential disaster."

"Good points. But sometime if we have cereal and Ben and Angela aren't home, we're cooking naked."

"Children?" I remind him.

"Grandparents?" he smirks at me.

"Good point," I relent. "Okay, you're on for naked cereal…sometime."

Edward makes coffee while I'm finishing the pancakes. He makes me turn my back as he gets and adds Emma's secret ingredient. I complain, but I really love it so much that they like each other that I don't even care they're keeping secrets from me.

"Why don't we go for a hike later?" he suggests.

"A hike? Edward, I am more coordinated than I used to be, but I'm still not a sporty," I insist.

"I'm not talking about anything hardcore. I just thought it would be nice to find a trail and spend a few hours away from the phones, computers, everything else except each other. Especially after all the Alice drama yesterday," he says. He's so sweet that I can't really say no.

"I just thought we could hang here today." I take one last shot at laziness.

"Sweetheart, if we stay here we both know where we'll end up spending the day. I don't want you to think I'm just using you for sex," he laughs, leaning in to kiss the side of my neck.

"What if I'm just using you for sex?" I ask suggestively.

"You're not. No one would willingly subject herself to the wrath of Alice just for sex," he returns laughing.

"Then No One must not have had sex with you, SG, 'cause it was totally worth it," I say, whacking his backside lightly with my spatula.

I lose, though, and reluctantly get ready for hiking after breakfast is eaten and the kitchen is clean. While I'm getting ready, he packs up his stuff, planning to put it in the car so we won't forget to do it later and get busted by the children.

"I want one of those shirts from yesterday," I call as he's headed out to the car.

"Why?" he asks, sticking his head around the bathroom door to look at me as I stand in front of the mirror.

"Souvenir," I reply. "And I want to sleep in it this week."

"You want a t-shirt, too?" he laughs.

"Yes, if you're offering."

"Then I get to take something of yours," he smirks.

"What do you want?" I ask dumbfounded. None of my stuff will fit him.

"The black thong," he says coming up behind me and wrapping his arms around me.

"Jesus. Are you _trying_ to keep me in a constant state of arousal or does it just come naturally to you?" I ask.

"Can I have it? Please?" he pleads, looking at me in the mirror. Fuck, he's cute. He knows I won't say no.

I get it for him from the laundry room – thank goodness I did a quick load of laundry yesterday before we left – and we make the trade. One men's white shirt, slightly dirty, and one black t-shirt that smells like him in exchange for one black silk thong. Good trade. I win in quantity of fabric alone.

Now I'm really not in the mood for hiking. But I go anyway. We both leave our phones at the house but I do text Ang quickly so she doesn't freak when she can't find me. I grab us each a water and we're off.

****

We go a park not too far from my house that has several trails. The nice, paved kind of trails. He takes my hand and we start walking. It's less of a hike and more of a stroll. I know he's going slow for me.

"You want to talk about Alice or not?" he asks gently.

"Not.," I answer.

"Really? I'd like to know what she said to you yesterday."

"I don't want to put you in the middle of me and Alice. It will be uncomfortable for everyone if it's you and me against her. I'd rather just give her some time…hopefully she'll calm down and be able to talk to me rationally at some point."

"Will you tell me if I promise not to tell her?"

"That won't work and you know it. She's not the only Cullen who overreacts at first," I tease, jabbing him with my elbow. "You'll call her and she'll know I blabbed. Let's give her a chance to get used to my reappearance. Your mom thinks she'll come around."

"Bella, I'm sorry she acted the way she did."

"I was expecting it. It's okay. I survived. Honestly, I was so glad to see everyone again that my argument with Alice was just like a little speedbump. She's not my biggest fan…I can deal with that."

"I'm your biggest fan," he says softly, looking at me with those damn green eyes.

"Edward, you have got to stop saying things like that to me when we are in public," I say teasingly. "I cannot be held responsible for my actions if you keep getting me hot and bothered."

He laughs and puts an arm around my waist, pulling me close to his side.

"What time are you expecting the kids back?"

"I'm not sure. Probably around 5 or so."

"I'm anxious to meet them, Bella."

"About that, I'm not sure about you meeting them today. I don't want there to be any confusion," I say carefully.

"I'm not confused. Are you confused?" he asks, looking at me intently.

"No, but I've never introduced a man to them…I'm not sure how they'll react. They might freak out."

"Well, they can't be worse than Alice. She can freak out with the best of them," he laughs. "If it makes you uncomfortable, we can wait. I would prefer not to, but you're the mom so it's up to you."

"I want them to meet you," I say, stopping and looking up into his eyes.

"Then it's settled." He wraps his arms around me and kisses me lightly on the lips.

"Yep, it's settled." I agree.

****

On the way back to my house, we stop at a convenience store for more water and chips. I feed him the chips, laughing as he keeps 'accidentally' biting and licking my fingers

When we get back to my house, he stops in the circle drive and turns to me. "I need to get this out of my system before we go in," he begins. "I do not want to attack you inside the house and end up getting caught in a compromising position." He leans over to me, unbuckles my seatbelt, and slides one hand up under my hair, using the other to pull me close.

"Ew, I'm all sweaty," I laugh.

"I don't care. I've kissed you when you were sweatier than this," he says, leaning forward to touch his lips to mine.

It only takes a couple of minutes of kissing to get us both completely desperate, trying to get closer to each other. He slides both hands up the front of my shirt, pushing my bra up out of the way. I have one hand around his neck and the other pressing against the front of his cargo shorts. Just as I'm about to unzip his shorts, I hear a knock on Edward's window. I open my eyes and am horrified to be looking into my father's eyes. He gets an eyeful before realizing what he's looking at and quickly standing up.

Edward pulls his hands out from under my shirt and says, "Who is it?"

"Charlie," I answer, lowering my head to Edward's chest in embarrassment. Edward starts to laugh. "This is not funny!"

"Sweetheart, this is hilarious. I'm sure Charlie is just as embarrassed as we are. Let's get out and face him together. We're not teenagers anymore," Edward says. I sigh.

We both get out of the car. Charlie is turned away from us with his hands in his pockets.

"Hi, Dad," I say, trying not to sound as embarrassed and annoyed as I feel. He turns to smile sheepishly at me.

"Hi, Bells. Sorry about that. I didn't mean to spy on you. We got back with the kids awhile ago and I just got back from storing the RV. I didn't know whose car this was and I guess the old cop in me just took over and knocked on the window without thinking."

When Edward comes up beside me to put an arm around me, Charlie does a double take. "Edward? I didn't realize that was you at first. How did you end up here?"

"Long story, Dad. Edward and I met up during some meetings this week and we've starting seeing each other again," I explain.

Charlie's face turns red. He looks guilty when he looks at me again.

"Bells, I'm so sorry about what I did. I wanted to tell you so badly for the last few years, but I was afraid it would just hurt you more at that point. I should have told you anyway, though. I should have told you 14 years ago. I was only trying to protect you…and you know how I felt about true love at that point in my life," Charlie is rambling on and on. I'm frowning because I have no freaking idea what he's talking about. I turn to look at Edward. He looks uncomfortable and he's shifting his weight from one leg to the other.

"What are you talking about?" I ask Charlie.

Now Charlie looks at Edward and understanding dawns on me. Edward knows what my dad is talking about…

"Hello? One of you better start talking," I say, frustrated.

"Bella, why don't we go inside and we'll sit down and talk," Edward says, using a tone like he's talking to a first grader.

"No. I want to know what the hell it is that you two are hiding from me," I say angrily, moving out from under his arm. When he reaches for me, I step farther away.

"Bella, this is all my fault. I should have told you about all the phone calls and letters way before now. But by the time I got my head straight about love, you were already married to Marcus. I couldn't see any point in telling you then," Charlie starts.

"What phone calls and letters?" I ask in a monotone, the feeling of dread spreading through my body.

Silence. I turn to Edward with tears in my eyes.

"Bella, I called your dad's house every week for about a year trying to get in touch with you after I moved to California. I also wrote you several letters. Charlie asked me to stop numerous times, told me you had moved on, and so I finally did stop. But I didn't know until last week that you didn't know I'd tried to contact you," Edward explains gently, looking at me intently.

"You never told me," I say looking at Charlie. I turn my watery eyes back to Edward. "And you didn't tell me. Neither one of you thought this was information you should share with me?" A sob escapes as I stare disbelievingly from one to the other.

"Bells, honey, let's go inside—"

"No! How could you do this, Dad? All this time…you just let me go on believing that he never tried to talk to me. And you," I say, pointing a finger at Edward, "you and I even talked about this earlier this week. But you didn't say a word."

"Bella, I didn't see the point in upsetting you more than you already were that night."

"So, we're back to that, are we? Everyone else knows what's best for me and makes decisions without even asking me," I huff. I start to walk into the house.

"Bells,"

"Bella,"

"No!" I yell, turning back to look at them. "Do not talk to me right now. Do not follow me. Give me a little freaking space."

I flee up the steps and into the house. My mom is waiting in the entry.

"Hi, sweetie. Is everything okay?" she asks, looking worried.

"No, Mom, but I don't want to talk about it right now. Where are the kids?"

"They're out back swimming with Angela and Ben."

"Good. I'm going to shower and calm down first then before I go see them," I say, still teary.

I go into my bedroom and shut and lock the door. I head straight for the shower, hoping the steam and water will wash away my misery.

I stand under the spray for a long time, crying and thinking. Then I hear the door to the bathroom open.

"Bella?" Great. It's Angela.

"How did you get in here? I locked the bedroom door," I say testily.

She laughs. "Oh, please. Do you really think a little privacy lock will keep me out when I know you're in here upset?"

"I don't want to talk about it," I say snootily.

"Too bad, sister. Your children are outside waiting for you. Let's talk this through and get you out there," she replies insistently.

"Did anybody tell you what happened?" I ask.

"No. You want to tell me?" she probes gently.

"Well, first my dad caught Edward and me making out -- like seriously making out -- in the driveway. And, honestly, having your dad see you getting felt up is no less awkward and embarrassing at 33 than it was as a teenager."

Angela, for once in her life, is silent. Then I hear her snort.

"This is so not funny." I say shutting off the water. I grab a towel and wrap it around myself before getting out.

"Bella, you're absolutely wrong. This is the funniest thing ever. Think about it objectively. You've been mostly celibate for five years -- not that you're not making up for lost time this week -- but as soon as you start sleeping with someone, you immediately get caught rounding the bases by your retired police chief father. The comedic timing couldn't be more brilliant."

I actually giggle a little now. She's right. It is funny. Horrifying, but funny.

"Is that the big reason you're hiding in your bathroom?" she asks questioningly.

"No. I'm hiding in here because I'm furious with my dad and irritated with Edward."

"What did they do, B?" she asks quietly.

"I just found out that for a year after the breakup, Edward called my dad's house every week to try and talk to me. And he wrote me letters. My dad never told me. Edward didn't tell me, even though I accused him of never trying to contact me earlier this week. How could they do that to me? How could both of them keep something so important from me?" I ask, feeling the tears coming again.

"Bella, I'm so sorry that you're hurt. But is this really how you want to spend the last few hours before Edward goes back to LA? Hiding in your room alone?"

"No," I admit. "What's in the cup?" I am excellent at diversion.

She hands it to me. "It's called a Lifesaver. Drink it and let's get you calmed down. You need to get outside and see what's going on."

"Why? What's going on? Is Edward leaving?" That thought panics me. I sip the drink. It does taste like a lifesaver. A yummy lifesaver, with rum.

She laughs heartily. "No. And lucky for you, my husband is an excellent spy. You know he can't stand not knowing what's going on, so he camped out right by the back door where he could see what was going on in the kitchen. First your dad and Edward were sitting at the counter talking and looking miserable. Then, they shook hands and your dad patted Edward on the shoulder. Your mom hugged him and brought him out to meet your kids. They asked him to swim with them, so Ben got him some swim trunks and he's out there right now in your pool playing Marco Polo or something with your kids while you are in here moping about stuff that happened years ago…stuff that can't be changed anyway."

She pauses to take a breath and to motion for me to keep drinking. I finish what's in the cup and hand it back to her like a good little girl.

"So, no. Edward did not leave. He did the opposite of leaving. You, however, pulled a classic Bella and hid away. You are in danger of losing all the progress you've made this week by standing in here feeling sorry for yourself. Are you going to put your granny panties back on?" she asks, arms crossed, eyebrows raised.

Wow, she is harsh. But crap - I think she's right. She calls me on my shit. That's why she's my bestie.

I smile. "I'm not regressing…no more granny panties. But I suck, don't I?" I say.

"Bells, you don't suck," she replies gently. "But get out there and prove it to that man who is clearly so fucking head over heels for you. You told me the other night that you didn't want to screw it up this time. So get out there and face him. Tell him how you feel and listen to what he has to say, too. Have an adult freaking relationship!"

She's right. It's irritating. I roll my eyes. "Okay. You're right."

"I know. Mother fucking genius, remember?" she laughs, pointing both index fingers at herself. "Jeez, how many hickeys do you have? I see three on the front, one on your neck and one on your back, sister. And I can't even see any of your most-likely-to-have-a-hickey places under that towel. I don't think you should wear a swimsuit out there. Better do shorts and a t-shirt, unless you want to do a whole lotta 'splainin, Lucy. Edward already had to lie that he got his from playing football with his brothers yesterday. I thought your mom was gonna pee her pants, she was laughing so hard."

This day just keeps getting better. Actually, it is kind of funny.

"Did you see the scabs on his knees? Carpet sex," I confide, giggling.

"Jesus, you two are like the walking sex-wounded," she laughs.

"I know. I fucking love it."

****

I take her advice and put on a pair of shorts and a crewneck t-shirt. I walk into the kitchen. My dad is still sitting at the counter, looking guilty and sad. He looks up as I enter, then looks down at the ground.

"Dad, I want to talk to you, but I need to speak to Edward first. I'll be back," I say to him, gently but firmly.

"Okay. And, Bells? Go easy on Edward. He really does care about you," Charlie says.

I nod and smile and turn to go out the back door.

I stop in the doorway for a minute to watch what's going on in the pool. Edward and Ben are both in the pool with my kids playing monkey in the middle. Edward, Sophie and Chase are the monkeys. Chase can't touch the bottom where he's playing so he's hanging onto Edward's back. I choke back a sob at seeing how easily Edward's worked his way into their space. Why was I ever worried? It would be impossible for them not to fall in love with him just like I did. Twice.

I step out onto the patio.

"Hey! Didn't anybody miss their mommy?" I call, smiling.

"Hi, Mom!" all three answer, but no one gets out of the pool.

My mom comes to stand beside me and squeezes my waist. "Bella, it's all right. The fact that they're not getting out of the pool to hug you should actually make you feel good. They are secure enough in your love to know that you'll be here when they're ready to get out."

Hippie Renee strikes again. I don't know any mother who would be glad her children chose a game of monkey in the middle over her.

"Isn't anyone getting out to hug me?" I ask again.

They all answer with some version of 'in a minute'. Edward looks at me with a half smile. He looks worried. Now I feel bad for acting like such a child and stomping off to my room. I smile back at him and see him relax before he goes back to playing with my kids.

"Hard to tell which ones are the children, isn't it?" Renee asks, laughing. "I think Edward and Ben are having as much fun as your kids."

"I heard you made the introductions, Mom. How did they take it? Do you think they know he's more than a friend?" I ask quietly.

We sit down at the patio table and she glances over at me, frowning.

"I don't know, Bella. Do you think you're raising smarties or dummies?" she laughs.

"Mom, I'm serious. This is stressful for me. I don't want them to be upset or feel threatened or feel like I'm disrespecting their father. And I really want them to like Edward," I say.

"Honey, look at them. They're having a great time with him. I think that after he leaves tonight, you should sit them down and talk to them. Say to them what you've just said to me. I don't think you'll be disappointed by what they say," she rubs my arm and then pats it. "Your dad feels terrible. I hope you won't make him suffer too long. He made a bad choice, but he'd like to talk to you about it now."

"I know, Mom. I told him I'd talk to him. I just want to talk to Edward first."

"Well, here he comes, so I will make myself scarce."

Edward is walking toward the table. I grab a towel off the chair next to me and toss it to him, hoping he will cover up that body. I will not be able to think straight if he doesn't, looking at his chest, abs, arms…and the hickey I put on him. He sits down in the chair my mom vacated and looks at me.

"Hey," he says softly.

"Hey," I answer. I suddenly don't know what to say.

"Bella, I'm sorry. I should have told you Tuesday about all the phone calls and letters. It just took me by surprise that you didn't know and I wasn't sure what your reaction would be. I should have told you anyway, though."

"I understand why you didn't tell me Tuesday. Why didn't you tell me anytime after that, though? We've been together the whole rest of the week. Aren't you upset with my dad, too? God, Edward. All the time we lost when we might have been together," there are tears in my eyes again. This emo-Bella crap is starting to tick me off.

"Honestly, Bella, I don't know what would have happened back then. We might have lost each other anyway being apart like we would have been. There are too many 'what ifs' to play that game. As for the reason I didn't tell you the rest of last week? Simple. I was too goddamn happy about where we are now to even think about it. We both grew up. You had three great kids. Everything that happened to us between the breakup and last week made us who we are now. And what's happening now feels so good that I'm not sure I'd change the past if I could."

I look up at him, smiling through my tears. "I really want to kiss you," I say laughing.

"So do it," he says, smiling back at me.

"In front of my kids? I'm not sure they're ready for that." I glance toward the pool. They're playing catch with Ben and paying no attention to Edward and me.

"They already asked me if I was your boyfriend while you were still inside," he says.

"Shit! What did you say?" I ask, wide-eyed.

"Yes," accompanied by my grin.

"Then I guess I'll kiss my boyfriend," I say tentatively.

"I'm waiting."

I lean over to kiss him chastely on the lips. Twice.

"I'm sorry I ran away and hid."

"It's okay to need space to deal with stuff. That doesn't upset me as long as I know you'll come back eventually."

I lean over to kiss him again.

"Gross! Mom is kissing Edward," Sophie announces. Her family nickname is 'The Informer' for a reason.

"Mom and Edward sittin' in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G," Chase and Michael sing.

I guess they're not bothered by it.

"Well, none of you will kiss me," I say, laughing.

"I think you guys should let your mom welcome you home now," Edward says, winking at them.

On cue, they all get out of the pool and make a run for me, dripping wet, smothering me with hugs and kisses. By the time they're done and back in the pool, I'm soaking wet and laughing. Edward laughs, too, then leans over to kiss me on the cheek.

"I'm getting back in the pool. Wanna come with?" he says.

"I can't. Too many hickeys for me to put a suit on," I smile.

"Sorry," he says, but he doesn't look that sorry.

"I'm not. I like having your marks on me," I retort, raising one eyebrow at him and laughing when he groans quietly. "I'm going to go talk to my dad. I'll be back."

****

My parents are both in the kitchen now, making hamburger patties.

"You guys don't have to do that," I say guiltily.

"We're not doing much, Bella," my mom answers.

"Dad, I would like to speak to you. Do you want to do it here?"

"This is fine. I've already told your mother what I did."

"I'm sorry I freaked out and ran away from you. I was pretty mad, though, at first."

He looks at me remorsefully. "I know, Bells. I'm really sorry. It's bothered me for a long time, so I'm glad the truth is out now. At first, I didn't tell you because you did seem to be doing better."

I close my eyes for a minute before answering. "It only seemed that way to you because I hid it from you, Dad. I was miserable for two years, not able to find the Cullens and thinking they weren't trying to get in touch with me."

"I made a poor decision. You know how I felt about love back then. I really thought I was protecting you from more pain. Until your mother came back into my life, I was a grouchy old man who didn't believe in soul mates and true love. Then when I found your mom again, when I realized what I kept from you, it was too late. You were married to Marcus, you seemed happy with him and the kids and I thought telling you would only upset you. After Marcus died, I contemplated telling you, but you were so closed off for so long. In fact, your mother and I were just in here discussing how today is the first time we've seen the light in your eyes since Marcus got sick…maybe even before then."

I smile at that. I know that it's true.

He continues, "I know that this sounds like a bunch of excuses, but I want you to understand that I really did think about it…really did try to make the right decision. I know now that I shouldn't have made the decision for you, though."

"Dad, it's okay. Well, it's not okay, but I forgive you. I know you did what you did with love in your heart. I can't say that I wouldn't have done the same if it was one of my kids," I say. I walk around the counter and into his arms. He wraps me up tightly, kissing the top of my head.

"Thanks, Bells."

"Will you two stay for dinner?"

"Wouldn't you like to be alone with Edward and the kids?" my mom asks.

"Not tonight. What I would really like is to have all my family, all of the people I love most in the world, eat dinner together. I want to ask Ang and Ben, too. It would mean a lot to me if you would stay."

"We'd love to."

****

The rest of the evening flies by. Dinner is a loud and lively affair. Edward seems completely at ease, talking to my parents, joking with my kids, arguing about sports with Ben. Angela and my mom keep smiling at me sweetly. After the first few times, I begin rolling my eyes in response. I get it…everyone likes Edward. I have to admit, though, I'm pleased that he's so completely charmed and impressed all the people I love most.

Edward helps me clean up the kitchen while everyone else sits out by the pool, taking advantage of the warm, clear evening. All too soon, it's time for Edward to go to the airport.

"I want to say goodbye to the kids," he says. "Come with me?"

I feel like crying, but take his hand and walk out the back door with him.

"Hey, kiddos, Edward has to go. Can you come say goodbye? Manners, please," I level my gaze at Chase, who tends to be the one that embarrasses me in situations like this.

But he's the first one who comes to us. "When are you coming back?" he asks.

"I'm not sure, Chase. Sometime soon, okay?" Edward responds.

"Okay. Maybe you could come to my baseball game," Chase says, smiling his partly toothless grin up at us.

"That would be awesome. I'll definitely come watch you play sometime," Edward responds eagerly. I feel like crying again for a different reason.

They high five and Chase runs back to the pool. Sophie and Michael both come up next.

"Are you going to kiss my mom goodbye?" The Informer asks. I roll my eyes at her, but she smiles snottily at me.

Edward laughs as he answers, "Probably."

"Okay, I was just wondering. See ya," she turns to walk away. Then she turns back, "It was nice to meet you. Thanks for taking my mom on dates. She usually never goes anywhere." We all laugh at that and I feel my face redden.

"God, Sophie, you say the dumbest things," Michael says to her.

"You know, I have a twin sister, too," Edward tells him. "So I know how you feel," he finishes in a whisper.

Michael smiles at him. "Is your sister annoying, too?" he asks.

"Sometimes. But sometimes she's also really great, just like yours, I bet," Edward answers.

"Not so much. She's mostly just annoying and bossy. Can I get back in the pool now?" he asks looking over to me. I nod. "Bye, Edward."

Edward is still laughing about the annoying and bossy comment, probably thinking about how aptly that describes Alice sometimes, too, but he does manage to say goodbye to Michael. He says goodbye to all the adults seated at the table and we head out front to his car.

"So I guess I'll see you Thursday," I say, wrapping my arms around him and resting my forehead on his chest.

"Yeah. I think we're signing the papers at my office, so you'll get to meet Charlotte, too. Don't let her scare you off. She's like an older version of Scary Emma," he laughs. "She wants to meet you, though, so she'll probably be nice."

"She knows about me?" I ask incredulously, looking up into his eyes.

"She figured something was up when I cancelled the whole rest of my week to stay here. And she has a way of getting me to talk, so, yeah, she basically knows what's going on," he replies, grinning down at me.

"It was a good week," I say wistfully.

"It sure was. I think this may be the greatest six-day span in my life," he says, bending to kiss me.

"I had a lot of fun. And we took our meadow back," I say.

"We took our meadow back? Who had our meadow?" he laughs.

"The bad karma gods. But now we have rid the meadow of bad karma with our hot lovin'," I answer with a giggle. He laughs with me then kisses me again.

"All right. I've got to go, baby. I'll miss you," he says quietly, kissing me sweetly once more and hugging me tightly.

"I'll miss you, too," I say sadly. "Will you call me when you get home so I know you got there?"

"It'll be late," he says.

"I don't care. I just want to say goodnight to you."

"Yeah, I'll call you. Bye, sweetheart," he says with one final kiss.

****

I sit teary-eyed on the front porch steps for several minutes after he's gone, until my mom comes to sit beside me. She puts an arm around me and I lean into her, letting the tears fall.

"Mom, I think I love him again," I say between sniffles.

"I know you do, honey. I think he loves you again, too," she says softly.

"How are we going to make this work with him there and me here?" I whine.

"Isabella Marie, Angela just spent the last thirty minutes telling me what a plucky, spirited woman you've been this past week. And now you're going to crumble at the thought of having to do the long-distance thing for a little while?" she snaps at me.

Jeez, is no one going to let me indulge in a little self-pity today?

"But this hurts, Mom. I don't know what he wants," I say, refusing to stop the pity party just yet.

"I know it hurts to be away from someone you care about, honey. But you're going to have to be patient. You two will figure it out. It wouldn't have gone this far in only a week if you weren't both invested in the outcome," she states.

"You're right. But I still feel sorry for myself," I say with a hollow laugh.

"Then you should go put on a suit and get in the pool and play with your kids," she suggests.

"I can't. I have too many hickeys," I respond with a full giggle. My mom laughs, too.

"Then why don't you let your dad and me take you all out for ice cream? Angela and Ben, too."

"Mom, that's an excellent idea. Thank you," I say, hugging her tightly.

****

When we return from the ice cream parlor, I call a family meeting, pj's required, in my bedroom. We all gather there.

"Is this meeting about Edward?" Sophie asks.

"Kind of," I reply. "But mostly I just want to tell you guys that you can say anything to me. If you have any concerns or questions about anything in this family, you can tell me."

"I have concerns about Chase. He keeps calling himself Frank," Michael laughs. We all join in, even Chase.

"What? I like the name Frank," he says.

"Okay, does anyone have any other concerns or questions?"

"Are you going to marry Edward?" Sophie asks.

"Sophie, we've only been dating for a week. It is way too early to be talking about marriage. But someday if I decide to get married again, I promise I will discuss it with you guys. And whoever I marry would have to love all of us and we all would have to love him."

"Edward is fun. He makes really big splashes when he jumps in the pool. And he likes us," Chase chimes in.

"You're right. He did really like you guys. He was very anxious to meet you," I smile.

"So you _like_ him like him? A lot?" Sophie again.

"Yes, I do. A lot. Does that freak you out?" I ask gently.

"No, mother," she huffs, followed by the eyeroll. That learned behavior is straight from me. As is the cussing I periodically hear from the boys when they think I'm not around, which is why I'm trying to watch my mouth around them more.

"Why would it freak us out for you to have a boyfriend? Em has boyfriends all the time," Michael says.

"I just don't want it to be weird for you guys."

"Can he really come to my baseball game next time he visits?" Chase asks excitedly.

"Sure," I reply, thinking 'you bet your sweet ass he can' because there are a couple of baseball moms who have remarked to me this season how sad it is that I have no one 'special' in my life, no one for Chase to look up to. So if Edward's here, I'm totally going to flaunt him.

"Can we go visit him sometime?" Michael asks.

"Maybe. We'll see how things go, okay?" I smile. The questions dry up after that and it's way past bedtime, even for summer. I force them to give me real hugs and kisses and send them to bed.

****

I'm sitting up in bed reading, wearing Edward's t-shirt, when my phone chimes. I grab it off the nightstand quickly to read the message.

***B – r u still awake? -E**

***E – yes, reading. Where r u? -B**

***B – home now. Miss u -E**

Oh, that does it.

He answers the phone with a chuckle.

"That didn't take long," he says. "I would have called, but I thought you might be asleep."

"I wanted to say goodnight to you first. I miss you, too," I say quietly. We both sigh. Then laugh.

"Anything interesting happen after I left?" he asks.

"We had a family meeting about you," I say.

"And?" he prods.

"They like you. They're not freaked out. Chase wants to change his name to Frank," I answer.

Edward laughs hard at that. "Bella, your kids are terrific. I'm not just saying that. I really enjoyed this evening with them, with all of you."

"This sucks. I wish I could see your face," I say grumpily.

"Me too, baby. I'm beat, but I'll call you in the morning, okay?" he asks, yawning.

"Okay, Edward. Sweet dreams," I say smiling.

"Hey, that's my line. Get your own," he laughs.

"All right. Rest up for Thursday," I say slyly.

"Jesus, now I'm not going to be able to sleep," he groans.

"Goodnight," I say.

"Goodnight, Bella. Sweet dreams," he says softly.

****

A/N: Thanks for reading – please review!


	16. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight. **

_What in the world you thinking of  
__Laughing in the face of love  
__What on earth you tryin' to do  
__It's up to you, yeah you_

****

I am jolted out of sleep by the chirping of my phone. I open one eye, grabbing the phone off my nightstand. It's 5:26 am.

"Jacob fucking Black, someone had better be dead!" I say into the phone through gritted teeth. "We have discussed this. No more calls before 6:30!"

I hear his laughter through the phone. "Bells, you texted me to call you. Remember?"

Oh, right. I didn't want to wake up and lie here thinking about Edward. Stupid, considering I only really got to sleep about two because I was lying here thinking about Edward.

"Sorry. I forgot," I admit.

"So, how was the rest of your weekend with Edwardo?" he asks. I can hear how fast he's running in the background, but he's not even winded.

"Good," I reply, lying back on my pillow.

"Details, Bells. I need details for Nessie."

I give some about Saturday, most about Sunday, leaving out all the sex. But I do tell him about the phone calls and Charlie's decision to keep them from me.

"Whoa. That's not cool," he says.

"I know. Good intentions and all, though, so what am I supposed to do? He's my dad. I'd forgive him eventually. Why waste the time being pissed? Plus, I'm pretty sure he's practically given himself an ulcer about it already," I say, stifling a yawn.

"So, you're gonna do a long-distance romance, huh?"

"Yeah, for now. I guess we'll just see where it goes. We both said we wanted to make it work," I say.

"Bells, he seems like a really good guy. And he's definitely crazy about you. I think this is great," he says. Jake is the #1 cheerleader for Team Bella. Whatever I decide to do, he's always behind me.

"Thanks, Jake. I'm gonna get in the shower now. We have a meeting at 9:30, right?"

"Right, see you then."

****

I'm on my way to the office when my cell phone rings again. Home. Good lord, I just left.

"Hello?"

"Mom." Chase, or Frank, or whoever the heck he is today.

"Who's fighting already and where is Liz?" I ask, amused.

"No one's fighting. Can I call Edward?"

"Why do you want to call Edward, sweetie?" I ask, trying to use my most patient voice.

"I want to tell him when my game is so he can come." He's breaking my heart with his eagerness for attention from Edward. Maybe I'd better get Jake to come to the next game.

"Honey, Edward's at work, so how about we talk to him this evening when he's home, okay?" I say gently.

"Okay. Don't forget." I hear muffled yelling in the background. "I gotta go. Liz is calling me. Bye." He hangs up.

Twenty seconds later my phone rings again. Home again.

"Hello?"

"Bella, I'm sorry about Chase calling you already. He got away from me," Liz says. She's a great babysitter and also a nursing student so I feel really comfortable with her taking care of the kids.

"It's okay, Liz. I don't mind if they call."

"I know you don't, but I usually at least try to let you get to the office first," she laughs. "We're going for a bike ride before the rain comes in, so you can get me on my cell if you're looking for us."

"Thanks, Liz. Helmets!"

"Gotcha, Bella. We'll wear helmets. Bye."

I swear I have just turned the radio back up when the phone rings again. This time I don't bother to look at who's calling.

"Yes?" I ask, slightly testy.

"Hi. Who pissed you off already this morning?" Edward asks, chuckling.

I smile involuntarily. "Hi, yourself. No one pissed me off. Well, Jake did but it was my fault, not his. But I just left home and they keep calling and I don't know…I'm rambling. How are you?"

He laughs. "I'm good. You sound flustered."

"I just didn't get a lot of sleep and Jake called super early. Sorry. I guess I am a little flustered," I laugh.

"It's okay, baby. So you're on your way to the office?"

"Yeah. Where are you?"

"Already at the office. I couldn't sleep. I've gotten used to having a certain beautiful girl beside me at night and now I can't sleep without her." I smile and shake my head at the panty-melter's powers, which clearly work long-distance, too.

"I slept in your t-shirt. It smells like you, but it's not the same," I whine.

"How many hours until you get here Thursday?" Edward whines.

"I don't know…too many, like 75," I sigh. We need a subject change. "Okay, no more moping. What do you have going on today?"

"Office work this morning. A couple of big meetings this afternoon. And I have to fit Aro in sometime, too," he answers. "Do you have a big day?"

"Meetings this morning. I'll probably go home early to spend some time with the kids."

"Are you meeting with James this morning?" he asks.

"Yeah, why?" I reply.

"Are you telling him you have a boyfriend?"

"I doubt it. We're going to be in a meeting with several other people. Did you want me to wear your class ring and letter jacket so everyone will know we're going steady?" I laugh.

"Ha ha. How about you just wear the dirty white shirt to work all week? Or show him all your hickeys?"

"Great idea. And you wear my thong all week," I say sarcastically and laugh harder.

"I have it in my pocket," he says quietly.

I stop laughing. "No, you don't."

"Yes, I do. Want me to send a picture?" he asks gruffly.

"No, I believe you. God, Edward. Now I'm going to be thinking about you carrying around my underwear all day," I say trying to catch my breath.

"Good. Think about it while you're in your meeting with James. He bugs the shit out of me, the way he looks at you. If you can work it into the conversation, tell him you have a boyfriend," he insists.

I laugh again. "Sure thing, baby. I'll try to work that in during the meeting where we tell your molester that she can keep her job if she agrees to keep her fucking hands off you."

Edward laughs, too. "Okay, I gotta go. I have another call holding. I'll talk to you later today?"

"Yeah. Have a good day," I say.

"You, too, baby."

****

Jake and I argue about the conditions we're going to set for Jessica. He thinks she's remorseful. I think she's saying what she thinks she should to save her job. Jake is blind when it comes to her. Probably because she treats him like a fucking king…and she has boobs. We finally agree on the terms for her continued employment and call her in.

We meet with Jessica in my office; no way am I doing this in Jake's office or any 'neutral' territory. She'd better be figuring out who's in charge here. She is slightly more contrite than she was last week, and she's sugary sweet to Jake, but she is still a probationary employee as far as I'm concerned. We ask James to come in near the end of the meeting to go over the conditions she must meet in order to keep her job.

When the meeting is over, James says, "Bella, I have some things I need to go over with you. Do you have time now?" He's being pleasant and polite…he must be up to something.

"Sure, James. Does Jake need to stay?" I ask.

"No, not necessarily. You're the only one signatory to the agreement to purchase Vulture and that's what I need to talk to you about," he states. Jake takes this opportunity to flee my office. Thanks for all the help, friend. I guess he's still kind of ticked at me.

"You have the final documents already?" I say, surprised. I know what Edward's been doing the last few days…me; he has not been working with James on final acquisition documents. I'm momentarily lost in a daydream, until James says something that snaps me out of it.

"No, we're still working on them. But I don't think Edward Cullen should be present for the signing," he says.

"Why?" I say, surprised.

"You seem to be emotionally invested in him. You can't be impartial where he's concerned. It could end up costing DiClemente Publishing," he says snidely. "I heard he was out at a bar with you and Jake on Friday night, too. What's going on, Bella?"

"Let me get this straight. You asked to meet with me alone so you could pry into my personal life? What I do outside of these offices is none of your business, James," I say. Then I level my patented James glare at him.

"It could screw up this deal-," he says.

"No, the deal is done. What is your problem this week?"

"Bella, you kept saying that you weren't ready to date, but now you're throwing yourself at the first guy who looks your way," he says angrily. "He's just going to hurt you."

My phone chimes and I grab it and read the incoming message.

***B – Can u talk? –E**

***E – Not now. Call u soon – B**

"Is that from him?"

"James, do you have any real business to discuss? If not, I have other things I need to accomplish today. My personal life is off limits," I say sternly.

"I'm going to insist on making the trip to LA with you."

"Out of the question. You are collaborating with Edward on the final documents. I am hand-carrying the documents, prepared by you, to LA at your insistence. There's no reason for you to travel there, too."

"I cannot in good conscience allow you to sign the documents without legal counsel present," he threatens. Whatever.

"Okay, James. I'll find a lawyer in LA to look them over, then. That's all. We're done." I swivel my chair around to face my computer behind me. I hear him leave and shut the door behind him. Then I grab my phone and dial Edward's cell.

"Hi, baby," he says. His voice is so sexy.

I sigh.

"What's wrong?" he asks, alarmed.

"Nothing that can't be cured by a hot lawyer," I say.

"You'd better not be talking about James," he says testily. I laugh at that thought.

"No. I just kicked him out of my office. I'm talking about my hot lawyer boyfriend," I say, trying to sound sexy.

"Did you tell James you have a boyfriend?" Edward asks impatiently. Good God, what is up with the men in my life today? It's like they all have PMS…pissy man syndrome. I hope this isn't how I act for three days every month…but it probably is. I make a mental note to try not to act like this next week.

"Bella?

"Huh?"

He laughs. "You're not listening again. And I wasn't even talking about anything boring."

"Sorry. What did you say?"

"Nothing important. What has you so distracted?"

"James is being a dick. He wants to come to LA and he's throwing a little mantrum about it…and about you and me."

"You did tell him," he says smugly. I think I hear him smiling.

"No, Sex God, I restrained myself from taking off my shirt to play connect the hickeys during the meeting…although I _was_ bored a couple of times," I say laughing. "He heard we were out at the bar Friday night and accused me of being so emotionally invested in you that I wouldn't recognize it if you were trying to screw me over."

"Baby, I would never screw you _over_, but I would like to–,"

"Shut up!" I laugh again. "I still can't stop thinking about the thong in your pocket. My overactive imagination doesn't need anything else to work with. Aren't you supposed to be working, hotshot?"

"Actually, yeah. I have a meeting in ten minutes," he says. "I'll call you tonight, though, okay?"

"Yes. We have baseball, so try my cell," I answer.

"Who has baseball?"

"Michael. Big game. We're playing the best team in our league."

"Tell him I said good luck," he says. Sounds like he's smiling again. I am, too.

"I will. Bye."

"Bye."

****

Tuesday at lunchtime the fairy godmothers and I are in my office eating salads we ordered from the café downstairs.

MK has been here torturing me all morning. The interior design firm she works for is doing our office remodel and now that the reception area is done, we're ready to start on some of the other offices. MK brought all kinds of samples and swatches and drawings. This is not my thing, so I've recruited Angela to help.

Emma is here for lunch and to go over the menu for the in-house luncheon we'll be having late next week. Several of the newly acquired LA staff, including Demetri, are coming for meetings and to be introduced to the staff here.

They also want the Edward update. I haven't really had a chance to talk to MK and Emma since the kids got home, so I tell them about our trip to Forks, about what happened with Alice, about Rose and Esme coming to visit tomorrow. I leave out the meadow sexcapade. Not even Ang knows about that. She rats me out about the carpet sex, though.

They laugh at me for being caught making out in the driveway and for being so worried about how my kids would react to Edward. I tell them how he talked to Michael last night after the game and congratulated him on the big win.

"Bella, really, you should have known. Anyone who can win over Emma's black heart would be able to win over children in a heartbeat," MK chides. We all agree, even Emma.

My desk phone buzzes. "Yes, Lauren," I say after pushing the speakerphone option.

"Bella, there's someone here to see you. Alice Whitlock," she says.

My eyes widen. Crap. What's she doing here? Did she not abuse me enough on Saturday?

"Send her in," I say to Lauren.

"Oh my god, you guys, you have to stay. Don't leave me here alone with her," I say quickly and quietly. I don't want to end up yelling or crying in my office where employees could hear.

"Oh, we're staying. If she dares to say anything else to you…I'll deal with her," Em says with narrowed eyes. I laugh.

The door opens and Alice comes in carrying her daughter. When she sees that my office is already full, she is taken aback.

"I'm sorry, Bella. I didn't mean to interrupt your lunch. I guess I should have called, but I didn't think you'd talk to me on the phone," she says.

"It's fine, Alice. I'd like you to meet my friends. This is Angela, she's the CFO here; this is MK, she's redecorating our offices; and this is Emma, she's the best caterer in Seattle. Girls, this is Alice Whitlock, Edward's sister, and her baby, Paloma."

They all say hello to each other.

"Paloma is such a cute name. I like it, like Paloma Picasso," MK says.

"That's who she's named after," Alice says, brightening. "I'm a jewelry designer like her and since my husband named both of our boys after Civil War generals - he's a total Civil War dork - I got to name Paloma," she laughs her bubbly laugh. _This_ is the Alice I remember. I smile slightly.

"What brings you all the way to Seattle, Alice?" Emma asks, arms crossed. Uh-oh. Bad cop.

"I had some meetings with a few of the stores here about carrying my line. I'm starting my own jewelry company."

"What kind of jewelry?" MK asks eagerly. I figured these two artistic souls would hit it off if they ever met.

"I have some samples in my bag. Bella, could you take Paloma?" she asks quietly, looking at me shyly. And with that simple question, all the walls between us start to crumble. I nod and gladly take Paloma from her arms. I was dying to hold Paloma on Saturday, but thought it would upset Alice so I kept my distance. She really is adorable; light brown curly hair like Jasper, big blue eyes like Alice.

Alice lays some of her jewelry out on the small round meeting table in my office. She really is talented. Her pieces are diverse, some funky, some dressy. All of us compliment her on her creations.

Angela looks at me questioningly. I nod.

"Well, I'd better get back to work. Wouldn't want my boss to think I'm slacking off. It was nice to meet you, Alice," Angela says. Emma and MK get the hint and go, too.

"Alice, would you like a water or some coffee?" I ask, sitting down in one of the chairs at the little table. Paloma has fallen asleep on my shoulder.

"No, thanks, I'm fine. Your friends seem really great, Bella," Alice says.

"They are great," I agree, patting Paloma's back softly. "So, Alice, last time I saw you, you weren't speaking to me. Why are you here?"

"Jeez, get right to the point, Bella," Alice answers. "Edward kept saying how different you are…I guess he's right."

"I don't think I'm that different. I just don't let people push me around anymore," I say, leveling a firm look in her direction. If she's starting to come around, good. But I want her to know that she will not be in the middle of my relationship with Edward this time.

"I would say that's pretty different," she laughs. "And I get it…I know I can be pushy. Edward told me to stop trying to boss both of you. It's really hard for me, but I'm going to try."

"I don't know what I'm supposed to say to that. Thanks? For letting two thirty-three year-olds make their own decisions? Alice, it's condescending the way you act like we aren't smart enough to figure out what we want and how to get it."

"I know," she says looking down. "I acted like an ass Saturday. It's okay, you can agree."

"I do agree," I say chuckling. She looks up and smiles wryly. "But I also understand why you have concerns. I hurt him before. And it seems like right now everything is happening so fast."

"So, what exactly is going on with you and Edward?" she inquires.

"Alice, I'm not trying to offend you or piss you off, but I really don't feel comfortable talking about this with you." Or making this that easy for you.

"You were talking about it with Rose and my mom," she says, sounding offended.

"They weren't trying to get me to give him up. I'm not going to just hand you ammunition," I say lowly.

She laughs loudly at that. "Okay, fair enough. Edward's off limits for now." She gets up and walks over to the wall where I have some framed photo collages of the kids. "These are your kids? You have twins, Edward said. Are they like Edward and me?"

"In some ways. He's funny and sweet. She's bossy…but cute," I laugh. Alice turns to smile widely at me.

"You're funnier than you used to be, too, Bella. You were much too serious. I'm glad you lightened up," she remarks. "I can see why Edward's falling in love with you again." She claps her hand over her mouth after that remark. "Shit. Don't tell him I told you that. He'll kill me."

Now I'm the one smiling widely. "I won't say anything. It's too soon to be throwing around words like love anyway."

Alice frowns as she studies me. "You're blushing. That's the same. He always loved that about you. You know, he was never really in love with anyone else…at least not in the way that he was with you. Boy, I'm really spilling my guts here, huh? "

"Are you trying to score points with me or something?" I ask with a laugh. But I'm not kidding.

"No. It's just, well, Jasper really laid into me yesterday, on top of Rose and Emmett and Edward all yelling at me on Saturday. Even my parents were unusually quiet toward me. So I figure I must have been worse than I thought. And Edward _was_ really happy to have you with him on Saturday," she says quietly. She takes a deep breath. "Then I started thinking about how close we used to be. I realized that I missed you a lot, too. I don't know if we can get that close again, but if you're going to be with Edward – hell, even if you're not – I want to try being friends again." She's teary-eyed and sniffling now. So am I.

My cell phone chirps at that moment. It's Edward.

"Jesus, you two still have that freaky twin thing, don't you?" I laugh. "Hello?" I say, sniffling again.

"Bella? Are you okay? Are you crying?"

"I'm fine. I'm not really crying, just sniffing."

"What's wrong, baby?"

"Nothing's wrong. Can I call you back? I have someone in my office."

"Hi, Edward!" Alice calls out. So much for the not butting in.

"Is that my fucking sister?" he growls. "Is she the one making you cry? Again?"

"Yes, it's your fucking sister," I answer, laughing. Alice laughs, too. "She didn't make me cry. We're just talking. I'll call you back in a little while, okay?"

"Let me talk to her."

"Edward, I don't want you butting in with me and Alice any more than I want her butting in with me and you. I swear, you two are ridiculous. I refuse to be constantly stuck in the middle."

"Put me on speaker," he says grouchily.

"Edward, are you PMS'ing? You've been irritable for two damn days," I say, annoyed. Alice is laughing silently.

"Speaker," he says again.

"Fine." I put the phone down a little roughly, hoping it was loud in his ear, and turn on the speaker. "You're on, Charlie. What do you have to say to us angels? And watch your language because the littlest angel is here, too."

He chuckles at that. "Paloma is only six months old. I doubt she'll be repeating any foul language just yet. Are you girls playing nice today?"

Alice and I look at each other. Neither of us answers.

"Ladies?" Edward says. We both start giggling.

"You answer him, he's your brother," I say to Alice.

"No, you answer him, he's your boyfriend," she says back. We giggle again.

"Jesus, it's just like fucking high school! All giggling and no answers," Edward huffs. I laugh louder.

"I told you he has PMS," I whisper to Alice. I know he can hear me, though.

"You're hilarious, Bella. Have you two been drinking already? It's not even two in the afternoon," But he's chuckling now. I'm sure he's glad to hear us laughing instead of yelling.

"Look, I'm just going to tell both of you right now that my relationships with each of you will be independent of the other. It will be great if we can all get along when we're together, but I'm not going to spend all my time caught between you two, okay?" I say firmly.

"Okay." They answer in stereo.

"Good. Edward, do you have anything else or can Alice and I get back to our conversation?"

"I'm good. Call me later."

"Okay." Alice and I answer in stereo this time. We all laugh.

****

Alice stays for another hour. I get to feed Paloma and Alice and I catch up. It's basically a superficial conversation. I know we will have more in depth conversations, too, but for now, I think both of us want a break from the drama.

"Are you going to come back tomorrow for lunch?" I ask as she's getting ready to leave.

"I don't think so. I had some time with you today. I think my mom wants to do her own pumping tomorrow and you'll be more comfortable talking if I'm not there. You know it's hard for me to keep things from Edward," she laughs.

"I do remember that," I say. "Will you call me if you're going to be in Seattle again though?"

"Yes, I will. I think I'll be back in a couple of weeks, so maybe we can have lunch then if you're free."

"I would like that," I say, smiling as I strap Paloma into the stroller we brought in from the hallway.

"Bella? I know we still have a long way to go, but I would really like to hug you."

"I would really like to hug you, too, Alice," I reply. So we do. Then we both sniffle.

"I have one thing to say about Edward and then I promise I will butt the fuck out like you asked," she begins. I raise my eyebrows at her, but remain silent. "He deserves to be happy. You are making him happy. Please don't stop. And get him to move back up here. He hates LA."

"Alice, I will do my best to keep him happy. But I'm not getting him to move back here. That is a decision he would have to make himself. I won't try to push or guilt him into doing anything for my sake."

"Okay. I'll work on him, then. I'm not above pushing and guilting," she laughs. I roll my eyes. Poor Edward.

****

Rose and Esme arrive at my office a little early on Wednesday. Lauren sends them into my office and they both hug me hello. They want a tour of the offices so I take them around.

"Wow, Bella, you run this all by yourself?" Rose asks as we leave Angela's office. "I can't believe shy little Bella turned into such a mogul."

"I don't run it by myself. Actually, Jake does most of the day to day operations. He and Angela both worked for Marcus before so they help me a ton," I say, embarrassed.

Jake is coming up the hall toward us.

"Mrs. Cullen, Rosalie, it's nice to see you. Bella said you were coming to visit today," he says.

"Hi, Jacob. It's nice to see you. I see your dad once in awhile. He's so proud of you. But he never told me that you worked for Bella. I guess maybe he thought it would be uncomfortable. Maybe it would have been, but it isn't anymore," Esme says, looking at me and smiling.

"Jake, you sure grew out of your awkward phase well," Rosalie says. We all laugh. We talk for a few more minutes, then let Jake get back to his office so we can head to lunch.

When we are seated at the restaurant for lunch, they pounce.

"So, now that we're out from under Edward's watchful eye, we can talk. What's going on with you two?" Rose asks.

I feel the heat of my blush starting. "We're seeing each other."

"Well there's a newsflash," she says sarcastically. "I was looking for some useful information."

"I don't know what to say. I'll see him later this week when I'm in LA on business, but I don't know after that. We didn't really discuss it."

"Is he calling you multiple times a day?" Rose again.

"Yes," I answer, looking down and smiling.

"I knew it. He's so easy to read when he's happy. He can't contain it," she laughs. "Emmett and I have a bet on how long it is before he's back up here permanently, so try and hurry it along, okay? I have before Christmas, Emmett has after."

"Jeez, you sound like Alice. I am not pushing Edward to relocate. If he decides that on his own, that's great. But I don't want to make him feel like he has to," I say.

Esme pats my hand. "Bella, you've grown into such a lovely woman. I think he'll come to the right decision on his own. And my money's on Rose," she finishes laughing.

"Speaking of Alice, I heard the little bitch was at your office yesterday. She was calmer than Saturday, I hope?" Rose asks.

"Yes. We talked some. We're not discussing Edward, though," I say smiling.

"That's probably smart on your part. She cannot keep her mouth shut when it comes to him," Rose says.

"She's always been that way," Esme offers. "She loves him so much and she always thinks she knows what's best for him…really for everyone." She laughs. "But her heart is usually in the right place."

"No argument here," I say. "She has a heart of gold…as long as you don't piss her off." We all laugh.

When Rose excuses herself to the restroom, Esme turns to me immediately.

"I have to hurry because I don't want Rose hearing this, but Edward told me at dinner on Wednesday that he was thinking of relocating out of LA. Has he said anything to you?" she asks. Crap. I don't want to answer this one.

"He mentioned that he was tired of LA, but nothing more specific than that. And that was very early last week. We haven't talked about it since," I answer.

"Well, I can't deny that, as a mother, I'd love to have him back up here near me. And I think you're my best shot at that happening," she laughs. "But also as a mother, I appreciate that you don't want to control Edward, that you want any decision to be his. And I'm so grateful that our whole family got you back, Bella."

"Thank you, Esme."

When Rose comes back, we talk kids, shopping, and men. I don't say much about Edward, preferring to listen to them talk about Emmett and Carlisle. It turns out to be so much fun that we agree to have lunch again in a month, each of us pulling out our phones to put it on the calendar.

Outside the restaurant, Rose hugs me goodbye first.

"See you soon, Bella," she says, before walking away and telling Esme she will get the car from down the block.

Esme takes my face between her hands. "Bella, I know you have Renee and she's a good mom. But I used to be like your mom, too. And I want you to know that I'm so proud of the woman you've become," she says, her eyes shining with unshed tears.

"Thank you, Esme. I love my mom, but honestly, my parenting style is patterned much more after you. I always wanted to have a family like yours," I answer, my eyes shining, too.

"Sweetie, my family is your family. Never forget that," she says pulling me into a hug.

"I won't. I am proud to be an honorary Cullen," I laugh against her hair.

"Honorary…for now," she says, pulling back to smile at me and kiss my cheek.

Rose pulls up in her car with the window down, talking on her phone.

"Emmett says hi, Stinkerbell," she calls out the window, laughing.

"Just remember, nothing says family like a little name-calling," Esme laughs as she gets in the car.

Waving goodbye to them and thinking of my own kids, I have to agree.

****

Late Wednesday night, I sit on my bed and talk to Edward, telling him about my lunch with his mom and Rose.

"When did Rose turn nice? She was never this way with me in high school," I remark.

"She's not usually this nice to anyone except her kids. She's trying to impress you," he says. "She is on her best behavior right now."

"Like my kids were on Sunday with you," I laugh.

"Bella, your kids are great," he says.

"They're not always as sweet as they acted then," I hedge.

"You're kidding," he says sarcastically.

"Shut up."

"Nice, Swan. Dissing the boyfriend when he leaves town." He laughs.

"Promise me you'll come back soon."

"I promise…..Hello?"

"Sorry, I was smiling at you."

"I wish I was there to see it," he says huskily.

"Okay, I have to go. You're getting me all riled up. I need sleep. Big day tomorrow."

"Oh, really?"

"Yeah, big meeting with a hot lawyer," I say suggestively.

"Okay. I'll see you tomorrow."

"I like the way that sounds," I answer, sighing.

"Sweet dreams, Bella," he says quietly.

"Rest up for tomorrow, Sex God," I reply.

I hear him exhale sharply before I hang up the phone. I lie back on my pillow, pulling his white shirt more tightly around me, and fall asleep with the smile still on my face.

****

**A/N: Thanks for reading!**

**It would make my semi-crappy week better if you would review :)**


	17. Chapter 17

**Disclaimer: Twilight is not mine. [insert sad face] My new car is mine....and did a great job on the icy roads today, so I am grateful for that.**

_****_

_I never did believe in miracles,  
__But I've a feeling it's time to try.  
__I never did believe in the ways of magic,  
__But I'm beginning to wonder why._

****

I wake up smiling. Finally, it's Thursday. I get up extra early to make the kids breakfast, then wake them up so we can all eat together before I go. This irritates Sophie because she really likes to sleep in. But I feel guilty for being gone overnight – and even more guilty because I'm so excited to be gone overnight – and want to spend a little time with them before I have to leave.

I sing along with the radio as I drive to the office and park in the underground lot, planning to leave my car here until tomorrow. I ride the elevator upstairs to my office humming and smiling.

"Good morning, Lauren," I say approaching her desk with my big smile.

"Hi, Bella. You're chipper this morning. Big day for you, huh?" she asks, smiling back at me.

Honey, you have no idea. "Yes, big day. Did James bring over the files I need for LA yet?" I ask.

"Yes, I put them on your desk," she replies.

"Thanks!"

I go in my office and gather my laptop and the files I will need for the trip. As I'm packing up my bag, my phone rings.

"Good morning, SG," I say laughing.

"Hi, baby. Are you on your way yet?" he asks anxiously.

"Just packing up. We're leaving the office in ten."

"James isn't coming, is he?" he asks in a low voice.

"No. We came to an understanding."

"You did? What understanding?" he asks, sounding surprised. Why would he be surprised? I am kickass with James. He never beats me.

"He finally understood that he was not coming with us," I laugh. "After I told him I'd find another lawyer in LA to look over the docs, he backed down. He's a pussy."

Edward laughs, too. "I've missed you so much, Bella. I can't wait to see you."

"I think we're coming straight to your office. Aro is picking us up."

"I know. Now that he knows we're together, he feels compelled to fill me in every time he speaks to you," he laughs.

"That's so cute. He's totally our Cupid," I sigh. I get to see my Gramps and the Sex God today – it's a two-for. Bella wins again.

"So, tell me what you have on under your skirt today. I might want to make a trade while you're here," he says quietly.

"Not wearing a skirt today, SG. I can't have you distracted during the big meeting," I giggle.

"What?" He sounds disappointed.

"Sorry, big boy. I'll make it up to you though. I promise," I try to sound husky like Angela. I probably don't, but Edward groans quietly anyway.

"I'm counting on it," he answers. I turn around to see Jake standing in the doorway of my office smirking and shaking his head, having overheard my side of this conversation.

"I gotta go. Jake's standing in my doorway waiting…and looking a little queasy." I laugh.

"I'll see you in a few hours, Bella. I'm so glad it's Thursday."

"Me, too, baby. Bye."

"Ugh. I forgot how sickening it is when you're first a couple," Jake makes a gagging noise. "Try to keep that shit to a minimum around me, okay? I'd like to be able to keep my dinner down tonight."

I playfully punch his arm and he picks up my messenger bag for me. I grab my rollercase and we head down the hall toward the elevator.

"No need for violence, Bells. I was just giving you a hard time. You know I think it's great you're so happy. It's been too long for you."

"You're right. It has. It feels good, Jake."

****

Aro meets us at the airport in Los Angeles and leads the way to the limo. After we get in, he turns to me with shining eyes.

"Big day for you, missy," he comments.

"And for you, Aro," I reply. I almost call him Gramps by accident. "You know, I'd really love for you to stay on as a consultant. I can't bear the thought of not seeing you or talking to you regularly."

"You're not getting me out of your life that easily, Bella. But I am ready to really retire, spend more time with Heidi. Maybe we'll travel up to Seattle more often."

"That would be fantastic. I know the best place to stay, too. It's a pretty decent house and if you can put up with the rowdy kids who live there, the food is all right," I laugh.

"We'll take you up on that sometime," he says. He turns to look out the window. I feel like he's at peace with his decision to sell, but I'm sure it's difficult for him, too.

He turns back to me, saying, "I heard you had a good weekend with my attorney."

"Yes. It was very nice," I answer. Jake is laughing. I shoot him a glare before turning to Aro. "We had fun."

Aro laughs along with Jake. "I'm sure you did. I saw the way you two were looking at each other Wednesday. I'm not so ancient that I don't remember how great it feels when you can't get enough of another person."

Blushing, I just smile. I'm not giving him anything, especially now that I know he's reporting everything to Edward.

We pull to a stop in front of a fancy high-rise building downtown and get out. I can't stop smiling as I look up at the building and know Edward is in there somewhere.

"Bella, business first, Edward later," Jakes whispers to me laughing.

I elbow him in his side. "Shut up, Jacob." But I laugh too.

I am nervous on the elevator ride up to the floor where his office is. As we enter the glass doors of the law office, the receptionist recognizes Aro and greets us. She directs us to one of the conference rooms.

Edward is already sitting at the table in the conference room. As we enter, he looks up from his laptop and takes my breath away when he smiles at me. He gets up and shakes hands with all of us then calls in two other lawyers who will be sitting in on the meeting.

He introduces us to them, telling them that he and I attended the same high school, but leaving our personal relationship out. First I shake hands with Caius, who looks like he's in his late 40's and then Mike, who looks like he's about my age. They are both handsome in that slick, shiny-suited, big-city way. When I shake hands with Mike, he grasps my hand with both of his and hangs on a little too long, which, judging by the scowl on Edward's face, he notices. I sit down beside Jake, scooting my chair close to him, hoping maybe Mike will get the wrong impression.

I pull out the packet of final documents that James sent and give them to Edward. Edward and Mike start going through them, comparing them to the electronic version James and Edward had previously agreed upon. Caius and Aro talk for a few minutes before Caius turns his attention to me.

"Bella, I met your husband a handful of times at some publishing industry affairs. He seemed like a nice man. I was sorry to hear that he passed," he says sincerely.

"Thank you."

"I don't recall seeing you at any of those publishing shindigs the last few years, though." Now he looks thoughtful.

"I don't go to very many. I have three young children at home and I'm choosy about what I will leave them for. Schmoozing at parties is not my thing anyway," I say with a laugh.

"So I haven't met you before. I didn't think so. I wouldn't have forgotten meeting you," he says, smiling at me. I notice Edward's head snap up out of the corner of my eye.

"No, I don't believe we've ever met. I only attended one event last year and it was in New York, not here," I say pleasantly, returning the smile. "That's where we met, right, Aro?" I shift my eyes his way. Come on, Gramps, save me. I think Edward is still staring at me, but I'm afraid I'll give us away if I turn away from Caius to look at him.

"That's right, Bella. That's where you first bewitched me," he chuckles. Not helpful, Gramps. I roll my eyes at him and he winks back. He's incorrigible.

"Bewitched you, huh? I imagine that's true," Caius laughs. "Bella, you must let me know if you ever need an escort to one of these events. I'd be happy to do the honors anytime."

"That very kind of you, Caius, but I actually have someone who I'm sure will escort me if the need arises," I say gently. I notice that Edward looks back down at the papers in front of him. I turn to look at Jake so I can steal a look at Edward. He's smiling now as he reads through the documents.

We chat a little longer until Edward and Mike finally approve the documents for signatures. Aro and I sign in all the spots they tell us and it is done. I ask Jake to make the call to Angela to authorize the transfer of funds from our bank to Aro's. Aro is a little teary, wiping his eyes with his handkerchief. I stand up to go hug him and feel my own tears pool in my eyes, blurring my vision.

"Aro, are you sure about this? We can rip the papers up right now," I say softly.

"No, no, these are mostly happy tears. I know you'll take good care of my company, my employees." He replies.

"I will, Aro. I promise," I say.

"This is supposed to be a day of celebration for you. You run along and dry your tears."

"Okay," I reply, standing up from my crouched position beside him and wiping under my eyes. I don't think he wants me hovering right now.

Mike is getting up from the table to go make copies of all the documents, so I ask him to show me where the ladies room is. He walks me down the hall and offers to wait and take me back. I thank him but tell him I can find my way.

When I come out, Edward is in the hall.

"Hey, beautiful. You all right?" he asks softly, searching my face with his green gaze.

"Yeah," I laugh. "No one cries alone in my presence. I'm such a sap lately. Until last week, I never cried. Now I can't seem to make it through a day without tears."

"I don't want you to be sad," he frowns.

"They're not sad tears all the time. I've had lots of happy tears this week, too."

"I seem to recall…," he says huskily, smirking a little. I'm sure we're both thinking of all my during-and-after-sex tears. I feel a jolt of electricity shoot through my body and settle between my legs.

"You've got to stop. We can't do this here," I tell him, leaning back against the wall for support. "I won't be able to concentrate for the rest of the meeting."

"I can't help it. I'm so glad to see you," he says. "We'd better get back, though. I still want you to meet Charlotte when we're done, too."

I can't really process anything he's saying with Lily yelling at me like she is. I just nod and smile idiotically at him.

He closes his eyes for a moment and exhales loudly. "You're killing me. Let's go," he says. We walk back up the hall toward the conference room, purposely brushing our arms against each other several times. He opens the door for me and gently touches my lower back as I go through the door before him.

We all sit at the table talking until Mike comes back with the confirmation from the bank that the fund transfer has gone through. Mike also has my copies of the signed documents in an envelope which he walks all the way around the table to give me. He places an unnecessary hand on my arm and leans down, brushing his side against me, to hand the envelope to me.

"I think we're all done here," Edward says curtly. I shake hands with Caius and Mike again and Jake, Aro and I prepare to leave. When we get outside the conference room door, Edward suggests we go for a late lunch. Aro begs off, wanting to check on Heidi and make sure she's feeling up to dinner with all of us later. Jake offers to catch a ride with Aro and check us into the hotel while Edward shows me around here. Edward and I tell him we'll pick him up in thirty minutes for lunch.

"Come on, Bella. Charlotte's waiting," Edward says softly.

He leads me through the maze of hallways until finally we reach his office. Sitting right outside his door is an attractive woman who looks like she's about 60; she's slender and pretty and she smiles at me as she sees us approaching.

"This must be Bella. Hello, dear, I'm Charlotte. It's a pleasure to meet you," she says standing to shake my hand.

It's very nice to meet you, too, Charlotte."

"Edward, you've done very well for yourself," she says, looking at him seriously over the top of her half-lens grandma glasses. "Don't screw this up."

I laugh, causing her to level that serious gaze at me. I immediately stop the laughing.

"You've done very well for yourself, too. This boy is quite the catch. If you don't believe me, ask any female under 45 in this office. Hell, most of the ones over 45, too. So, don't you screw this up either," she says sternly.

"Yes, ma'am, I will try my best," I answer without thinking. Crap. She _is _scary.

"Don't try. Do it."

"Yes, ma'am," I answer again.

"Good. Now let me get a good look at the woman who's captured Edward's heart," she says in a much more pleasant tone, coming around her desk to take one of my hands and study me carefully. "She's gorgeous, Edward."

"Thank you?" he asks, blushing a little. "Was that the right response, Charlotte? You've got us both a little scared here," he laughs. "You have out bad-assed the bad-ass."

She throws her head back and laughs. "Well, doesn't that make me proud? Bella, all I've heard from this boy all week is what a beautiful, smart, funny, bad-ass you are. He's completely gone for you, you know."

"Okay, Charlotte, I think we've told Bella enough for one day. I'm taking Bella and her CEO for a late lunch. I won't be back, but I have my phone if you need to get me." Edward says, red-faced again.

"All right, Edward. Are you coming in tomorrow?"

"Yeah, I'll see you in the morning."

"Goodbye, Charlotte. It was lovely meeting you," I say. I mean it. Anyone who says the things she's said to me about Edward is a lovely person in my book.

"Bye, now. Looking forward to seeing you again," she answers.

****

As soon as we get inside Edward's car, he turns to me.

"Come here, baby," he growls. I smile and lean toward him. He reaches up to cradle my face gently. "I'm trying not to attack you," he smiles.

"I'm okay with being attacked by you," I answer.

"I'll remember that later," he murmurs against my lips. He kisses me gently, sweetly. Then he pulls away. "I can't take anymore. I won't be able to stop and we have to go get Jake." He takes my hand and kisses it while looking at me. "Later, though, you are all mine."

"Anytime you want me, baby," I murmur, pulling our joined hands to my mouth and kissing his wrist.

"Damn, sweetheart. I couldn't concentrate at all this morning waiting for you to get here. Then it wasn't much better in the conference room, having you so close but not touching you – especially when both of my colleagues were flirting with you. It was like torture."

I laugh. "You're being a little melodramatic, don't you think?"

"No," he says with a serious face. I reach up with my free hand and push at both corners of his lips until he smiles my favorite smile at me.

"I missed you, Edward. You can't imagine how much," I say leaning in to kiss him once more.

****

We have lunch outdoors in the sun. Edward fits in here among the beautiful people. Not me, I feel awkward and unattractive. Nothing a martini won't cure, though, so I order one with my salad. Then I order another one after I eat my salad.

I sit back in my chair and people watch, half listening to the conversation Jake and Edward are having. I really am happy that Edward has slipped so seamlessly into every aspect of my life. I would date him anyway, but the fact that my friends and my family like him makes it so much better.

When we're done, we have a few hours before we have to meet Aro and Heidi for dinner, so Edward offers to show us around LA for awhile.

"Thanks, but I think I'll get a run in at the hotel gym," Jake says from the backseat of Edward's car.

"You didn't run this morning? You always run," I say, turning to look at him.

"Nessie had other plans for me this morning," he chuckles.

"Ugh! Jake…TMI," I say. Edward and I both laugh.

"What can I say? She can't stand being away from me," he says, laughing with us.

As we pull up at the hotel, I turn to Edward.

"I think I'll change as long as we're here if we're going to sightsee. Want to come up or wait here?"

He waits until Jake is out of the car to answer me, smirking, "You think it's a good idea for me to come up? Bella, we both know what will happen if I go upstairs with you.....So I'll definitely come up," he says, chuckling. "I'll change, too. I want to take you to the beach…later." He turns to grab a gym bag out of the backseat then tosses his keys to the valet.

We ride up in the elevator with Jake and he hands me my room key. We are on the same floor, but not right next to each other.

"Jake, we need to leave for dinner about 6:45," Edward says. I'm already at my door unlocking it with the keycard.

"Okay, I'll just come to your room," Jake says. Your room, plural your. I like that. I sigh as the door opens and I walk inside, holding the door open for Edward who's still talking to Jake in the hallway.

At last, he turns toward me and walks in the door. I let it shut after he's in, and he drops his bag and pulls me to him, hugging me tightly.

"Oh my god, finally," I say, laughing and wrapping my arms around his neck.

"Hi, baby," he says. We both stand there, holding on tight and just breathing each other in for a minute. "God, I missed you."

"I missed you, too," I say, pulling back to smile up at him. He bends down to kiss me, sucking at my top lip until I moan. I push his suit coat off his shoulders and yank at his tie. He runs his hands up my sides before sliding them to the front to palm my breasts. I move my hands down to untuck his shirt, then can't resist getting my hands on his backside. Groaning, he kisses his way across my jaw line and down my neck.

"Jesus, how do I get this fucking shirt off you?" he asks, laughing. "Is it boyfriend-proof?"

"Side zipper," I laugh, reaching with my own hand to unzip it.

"Stop. I want to," he says, looking in my eyes. He unzips it, but still looks confused.

"Pull it off over my head," I say, smiling. He mutters something about women's clothing as I raise my arms so he can pull it off.

"Bella, you're so beautiful," he breathes. I close my eyes as he moves his hands back to my breasts, kneading gently, circling my hardened nipples lightly with his fingertips.

I get back to work on his tie and shirt and finally manage to get rid of them. I stroke my hands up and down his chest then rake my nails gently down his sides where I know he's a little ticklish. He jumps and inhales sharply. Giggling, I start to back my way into the main part of the room, toward the bed.

"Luring me to your bed, Swan?" he asks, as he follows me.

"That depends. You feeling lucky, Cullen?" I ask, arching one eyebrow. Yeah, I really only do that because I know it drives him crazy.

"I'm feeling like the luckiest guy on the planet," he says, smirking at me.

I stop backing up when I'm pretty close to the bed and let him catch up with me. I immediately reach for his belt and manage to get his pants off him quickly. He gets mine off, too, so I'm standing there in my red bra and panties.

"Holy mother of fuck," he breathes. I think that's a compliment. "You look incredible." I smile at him, because really, what else do you do when a guy says that to you, then I turn around to pull down the comforter…and to give him a look at my behind, which looks pretty good in these lacy boyshorts. He groans, so I guess he agrees.

He puts his arms around me from behind, one hand lifting back up to caress my breasts and the other rubbing down the outside of my panties. He rubs his hand over the fabric a few times, eventually stroking all the way between my thighs. I moan and lean my head back against his chest.

"Christ, Bella, you're so wet," he whispers in my ear. He pulls his hand back up to the top of my panties and slides it down inside the fabric at the same time he slides the fingers of his other hand inside my bra. He circles my clit slowly, driving me crazy, making me gasp and clutch at his thighs behind me. He moves his fingers faster, then shifts them lower to slide first one, then two inside me. I gasp as he grazes my clit with his thumb.

He kisses a line down my throat and across my shoulder before resting his head lightly on my shoulder to watch what he's doing to me. I reach one arm up to hook around his neck.

"Edward…I can't….oh god," I moan.

"Are you close, baby? Come for me," he whispers. I do, gasping and clutching at him as he moves his lips back to my neck and sucks gently.

"Oh my god," I whisper, breathless from the intensity of the orgasm.

"You are so fucking sexy," he growls, moving both of his hands to the back of my bra to unhook it. He slides it off me quickly, as I push my panties down and climb onto the bed.

"Come here. I need you," I say, reaching for him.

"I need you, too, Bella," he answers, climbing on the bed with me. I push him down on his back and climb up him to straddle him. I lean down to kiss him sweetly.

He tries to roll me onto my back, but I won't go. "No way, Sex God. You're not messing my hair up in the middle of the afternoon," I say, smirking at him and scooting down to kiss his chest.

"You're beautiful," I say, moving back up, touching his face and smiling into his green eyes. He reaches up to cup my face and pulls me back down to kiss him again.

"Bella, please. Don't make me wait any longer…I can't wait any longer," he pleads hoarsely.

"Baby, all you ever have to do is ask," I say, looking at him. I lift up and slowly slide onto him, then lean forward to suck on his chin. I sit up partway to look in his eyes. I am alarmed to see they are watery.

"What's wrong?" I ask.

"Absolutely nothing….everything is so fucking right, Bella, I can't believe it," he says, looking intently at me. Tears spring to my eyes, too, and I bend down to kiss him, pouring every feeling I have for him into it, not stopping until we're both breathing hard again.

He cups my hips with his hands and I begin to move on him, letting him guide me to the pace he wants. Eventually, he pushes me to sit up and urges me to move faster, moving one hand to my clit to drive me, gasping, to another peak. He follows right after, moaning my name.

I lean forward to get my face in the crook of his neck and kiss his damp skin over and over. He chuckles and wraps both arms around me tightly.

"What?" I say, raising up slightly to look at his face.

"I'm just happy, Bella; to see you, hold you, be with you. I can't get enough of you."

"You're just saying that because I'm naked and I sexed you," I say, smirking and raising my eyebrow at him."

"You're right," he says, laughing. I yank on his chest hair lightly and he cups my face to pull me in for another kiss. He kisses me gently, yet urgently, opening my lips with his tongue.

When he breaks the kiss, he says, "I'm serious, baby. It's you, it's not the sex…I'm not dissing the sex, it's fucking great, but this is about how I feel about you. I'm so glad I found you again."

"Me, too, Sex God. I'm so glad you found me, too," I reply, lying back down on top of him. "Now are you taking me to the fucking beach or not?" I ask, making him laugh.

****

We get up, get dressed and drive to the beach. We both take our shoes off and leave them in the sand. I roll up my jeans and we walk and talk for awhile, wading ankle-deep in the cool water and holding hands.

"I love doing everything with you," I say, not even trying to stop smiling the ridiculous smile on my face. "It sounds so cheesy, but it's true."

"You're right, Swan, it does sound cheesy," he laughs. I kick water at him. "Let me finish! I love doing everything with you, too," he says, picking me up and kissing me.

"Will you stay with me tonight at the hotel?" I ask, pulling back to look in his eyes.

"Yep. We need to go by my apartment so I can get clothes for dinner and work, though, okay?" he asks, kissing me again.

"Yep." He sets me down and we turn around to walk back toward the spot where we left our shoes, our arms around each other now.

"When do you want me to come back to Seattle?" He looks down at me, all beautiful with his sunglasses and messy hair and white teeth.

"When do you want to come back?" I smile up at him.

"I was thinking maybe I would hitch a ride tomorrow on your fancy jet," he says, hesitantly.

"It's not mine. It's my company's. And it's a co-op lease," I retort.

"Whatever. Can I have a ride?" he grins.

"Of course. I wasn't sure you'd want to come back to back weekends. And I should warn you, we have two baseball games on Saturday. I mean, you don't have to come, that's not what I meant by 'we', but I will have to go because I'm the mom and moms have to go-,"

"Bella?" he interrupts, stopping and pulling on my shoulder so I stop walking, too, and turn to face him.

"Yes?"

"Shut up and kiss me," he laughs. I kiss him, stealing his patented lip sucking move. I know he likes it. He pulls back after a minute with a groan and kisses my forehead, holding me pressed up against him, our feet still in the ocean.

"I want to come to Seattle as much as I possibly can…as much as you can possibly stand me. And I'm hoping maybe once in a while, you can come down here. I want to see you every week. I can afford it, you can afford it, there's no reason for us to be apart any more than we have to be for work."

"'kay," I say, shifting so I can wrap my arms around his neck tightly and then pulling him to me again. "I hate being so far away from you," I say softly, sighing against his shoulder.

"I hate it, too. It won't be this way forever, Bella. It's just gonna take some time to get it all figured out. But we will figure it out," he says firmly.

"I believe you. Did you know your mom told me she has faith in us?" I pull back to look up into his green eyes and smile.

"Did you know your dad told me he hopes we don't screw it up this time?" He smiles, too.

"I don't want to screw this up…and not just because of Charlotte, although she does scare me," I say, looking at him seriously.

He bends down to kiss me, smiling against my lips. "Was Scary Emma adopted? Because I think we've found her birth mom if she was."

He moves his lips down my neck and starts sucking on a spot near the base. I pull away reluctantly. "Edward, we've got to tone down the hickeys," I scold.

"I thought you liked having my marks on you," he pouts, lifting his head to look at me.

"I do, but they're hard to hide. Maybe you should concentrate on putting them in spots where only we will see them," I say provocatively.

"Okay, let's start right now," he says, smirking.

"Edward, we're on a public beach," I laugh.

"I know, baby, but I live right there," he points to a building over my shoulder. "I want you in my bed."

"Oh my god," I say closing my eyes, leaning my forehead against his chest, going weak at the knees. Jesus, how does he do this? We've only been out of bed for an hour.

"Want me to carry you across the hot sand?" he asks softly, kissing the top of my head.

"No, it will be faster if I walk myself," I answer, looking back up at him and smiling. "Maybe we should run."

He laughs and pulls me away from the water, up the beach. We don't run, but we do walk pretty fast.

He picks up our shoes, never letting go of my hand and pulls me toward his building.

****

"Pretty swanky building, SG," I tease as we exit the elevator onto his floor.

"I know and the rent is ridiculous. I could have bought a house. But I never had the urge to do anything more permanent," he smiles down at me.

We walk down the hallway and he stops at his door to unlock it. I stand behind him with my arms wrapped around him; he laughs as I start to move them south of his waistband. The door across the hall opens.

"Edward! Where have you been? I haven't seen you around lately," says a sugary voice.

I drop my arms and we both turn to face the voice.

"Hi, Kate. I've been around. We just must have missed each other lately," he replies.

"We need to get together soon, Edward. It's been too long," she says, looking me up and down. She is a stereotypical LA girl; bleach blonde hair, puffy lips, hot pink sweat pants that I'm sure have some word spelled out across her ass.

"Kate, I'd like you to meet my girlfriend, Bella. Bella, this is my neighbor, Kate," he says, a little uncomfortably.

"Nice to meet you, Kate," I say, but I don't shake her hand.

"Yeah. Well, Edward, call me," she says glaring at me, then smiling at him before she heads toward the elevator.

He has the door open now and he holds it for me to walk in first. His apartment is clean and masculine…lots of leather and dark cabinets.

"Bella, I'm sorry about that. She was rude. She's not really even a friend…," his voice trails off. I know immediately what she was. I can't help smiling a little.

"Oh, you dated her?" I was already suspicious just because of the way she glared at me.

"A couple of dates. A couple of years ago. Nothing more," he says from behind me. "Really, Bella, we never - ."

"Edward," I say turning around, "we both had lives before last week. You don't have to explain anything to me."

"I just want you to understand what you mean to me, how different it is with you," he says, approaching me to wrap his arms around my waist.

"I'm starting to get the picture," I say, smiling up at him and wrapping my arms around his neck.

"So, you're not mad?"

"About what? That you dated other people during the last 15 years?" I laugh.

"You're not even a little jealous?" he asks, tilting his head to one side.

"You want me to be jealous?" I ask, tilting my head to the other side.

"No, I just want you," he says, moving his hands from my waist to my ass and squeezing.

"Then take what you want, baby," I say. He kisses me until I can't breathe. I pull my lips away and he continues, kissing down my neck and back up to the spot right under my ear that he knows makes me involuntarily jerk and break out in goose bumps.

I recover enough to ask throatily, "So, Cullen, what's a girl have to do to get a look at your bedroom?"

He doesn't answer, but lifts me up until I wrap my legs around his waist and then he carries me down the short hallway to his room.

He sits me on his bed and lets go long enough to pull off his own t-shirt and then mine. I reach for the button on his shorts and push his shorts and boxers off quickly.

"Jesus," I say reaching out to touch him, wrapping my hand around him as he groans my name softly. He pulls me up to stand and gets my jeans and panties off in what must be record time before pushing me back on the bed and following me down.

"I don't think I can be slow and gentle right now, Bella," he says, looking in my eyes for permission.

"Good," I answer, grabbing fistfuls of his hair and pulling his mouth to mine. He enters me quickly and I gasp.

"You okay?" he asks against my lips.

"Oh, god, yes. You feel so good….just, god, don't stop," I pant into his mouth.

He drives into me relentlessly until I come, digging my fingernails into his shoulders and moaning his name. I pull my knees up toward my chest and Edward pushes them even farther until both of my legs are hitched over his shoulders, all without breaking his rhythm. The new position sends me into another orgasm, this one longer, smoother. I almost sob his name and then finally he climaxes, groaning my name in response.

He puts my legs down gently and kisses me so softly, so lovingly, that I almost cry. Then he rolls us to our sides and holds me tightly, fingering the strap of my bra which we never got around to removing.

"You're very bendy," he says, smiling at me and kissing me again.

"Emma. Pilates. Makes me go," I respond, still breathless.

"Speechless again, baby?" he laughs.

I nod.

"Then maybe I should get started on those hickeys," he raises his eyebrows at me as he pulls down the strap of my bra. I can only sigh happily as he puts four hickeys in places only we will see them.

****

Later, we're still lying in his bed, Edward on his back, me sprawled half on, half off him, our legs tangled together.

"I think we got sand in your bed," I say.

"I don't care. I just wanted you in my bed," he answers, kissing the top of my head.

Then I notice what's on his nightstand. It's a framed black and white picture of us from prom fifteen years ago. Alice took the photo and let me have it so I could give it to Edward for his 18th birthday. I gave it to him in the silver frame it's still in, that I had engraved with his initials and "ILY".

"You still have that picture?" I ask, surprised.

"Yeah. I dug it out last week when I got back from Seattle. You were so cute," he says, softly stroking my back.

"We were babies. We were so young and naive," I say, looking at how happy we were, looking at each other, unaware that Alice was taking the picture.

"We grew up okay. I like where we are now," he says, grabbing my chin to turn my face toward his.

"I do, too, Edward. This…us…you…it all means so much to me…I don't think I can really describe how you make me feel." I drop my head to kiss the spot on his chest where I've been laying then look back up to smile at him. We both sigh and then laugh.

"I hate to get up, but we'd better get moving if we're going to make our dinner reservation. And I have to pack for the weekend. Next time you come to LA, stay with me here? I like having you in my space," he tells me.

"Sure, Sex God. You just try to get rid of me now that I know where you live," I say, still smiling.

"Bella, I can't imagine ever trying to get rid of you," he says, his green eyes dark with emotion. I kiss him again then sit up so we can get going. He laughs. "You have sex hair."

"Go ahead and laugh, big boy. Hope you weren't planning on getting laid anymore this week, though," I huff, climbing over him and out of bed and looking for all my missing clothes.

"Bella, don't be mad. I'll get you a brush…I probably even have a rubberband or something around here," he says quickly, trying to appease me.

"Gotcha!" I say, laughing, turning and shooting the ponytail holder I had in my jeans pocket at him. I'm not an idiot. I knew there was a fairly good chance I'd end up with sex hair somehow.

"Oh, you think you're funny, now, don't you?" he asks, holding the hair tie just out of my reach. "If you want it back, you'll have to come closer."

I shouldn't. I really shouldn't. I know what will happen if I go close to that bed again. He's so cute, though, all rumpled, sitting in the tangled sheets teasing me. I take two steps closer, squealing and giggling when he puts his arms around my waist and pulls me down on the bed. It takes me fifteen minutes to get him to let me back up, and when he does, I have three more hickeys, he has two of his own, and both of us have messier hair.

****

When we get back to the hotel, we only have 40 minutes until we have to leave for dinner.

"Shower together?" he asks hopefully.

"No way, dude. I barely have enough time to get ready as it is. No more hanky panky before dinner," I answer laughing.

"Please? If I promise to behave in the shower? It'll save us time…" he pleads.

"Oh, all right. Did you take a special class in manipulation?" I grin.

"Lawyers call it persuasion, Bella. It sounds so much nicer," he says, trying to undress me.

"Hands to yourself, SG! No funny business," I say, pulling away laughing and heading for the shower, dropping clothes in my wake.

"Fuck," I hear him mutter under his breath as he follows.

If I was a teacher, I would give him a C for his behavior in the shower, but an A for effort. I will not be sidetracked, though, and finally leave him in the shower alone after removing his hands from my ass…again. We get ready side by side at the enormous vanity, smiling at each other often in the mirror. I'm still finishing up when Jake knocks at the door, so Edward leaves the bathroom to let him in, brushing a kiss on my bare back above the towel I'm still wearing as he passes.

I come out of the bathroom a few minutes later, wearing a black silk dress held up by thin straps. Jake and Edward are sitting at the little table by the window drinking beers from the minibar and watching baseball. Jake notices me first.

"Wow, Bells, lookin' good," he says.

Edward glances over. He doesn't say anything, but gets up and walks toward me.

"You are stunning," he says quietly, leaning down to kiss me softly on the lips. "I'll never make it through dinner sitting beside you," he laughs.

"Then I definitely shouldn't tell you what I have on under this dress," I whisper to him. He closes his eyes and swallows, leaning his forehead against mine. I grab the back of his neck and pull his lips to mine for another quick kiss, and then grab the beer out of his hand and finish it. He just grins at me.

"Let's go, boys," I say to them.

****

Aro and Heidi are already seated at the restaurant when Jake, Edward and I arrive. I claim the seat next to Heidi after we've all said hello.

"Heidi, you look great. How are you feeling?" I ask, leaning over to kiss her cheek.

"I feel pretty good. The hip is healing fast, but I'm ready to be rid of the cane. It makes me look old," she laughs. She is almost 77, but could easily pass for early 60's with her peaches and cream complexion and dark blonde hair.

We all talk through the salads and main course. While we're waiting to order dessert, I turn to Heidi for a little girl talk.

"Aro said you're going to try and come for Jake's wedding in September," I say. "If you do, please consider staying with me. I'd love it."

"Won't you have a house full of other guests?"

"No, Jake's dad is staying with my parents and his sisters are staying downtown with him. So my guest room is open," I say.

"What about Edward? Or is he staying in your room?" she asks, her eyes shining.

"I haven't asked him to come yet, so I'm not sure, but my boys can always share a room if we need somewhere for Edward to pretend to sleep," I laugh.

She reaches over to grasp my arm and squeezes it gently. "When Aro told me about your history, and that you were seeing each other again, I was so happy. It never made sense to me why both of you were single, but now it does. You just had to let fate work you back to each other. I couldn't be happier for you two. I just wish I had thought to introduce you two this spring when you made all those trips to LA. " she laughs.

"We're happy, too, Heidi. It's only been a little over a week, though. We're not rushing into anything."

"Pssh! Please. When you know, you know. I knew the day I met Aro that he was the one. Don't try to tell me you don't know already. Even Aro knew when he saw you together. He was very proud of his part in pushing you two along."

God, I hope Edward's not listening to this. He's sitting beside me and his arm is resting on the back of my chair, his fingers curled lightly around the side of my back, stroking the bare skin above my dress. I glance over at him. He seems to be listening to Aro and Jake's conversation. But he is a sneaky boy.

"I care about him very much. I want everything to work out," I say, trying to pacify her.

She laughs. "Well that's certainly a safe answer. Where are your guts, Bella? Aro and I are going to celebrate 55 years of marriage this year, you know. Who do you think made that happen? Get in there and make it work out." She winks at me, just like Gramps does. I wonder which one of them was the original winker and which one picked up the habit during the course of their marriage.

I sniffle quietly so Edward won't know that I'm teary yet again. "I'm sad that we lost so much time…that I probably won't get a chance at 55 years with him."

"That's the silliest thing I've ever heard. It's not the quantity of time you have that makes a great partnership, a great marriage. Our marriage isn't greater because it's lasted 55 years. It was a great marriage to begin with. We've just been fortunate to live long lives. Don't diminish the feelings you have by plugging time into the equation."

"Have you always been so smart?" I ask, smiling.

"Yes," she replies, laughing.

"Have you always been happy with Aro? Never doubted your decision to marry him?" I ask quietly. I'm not even sure where that came from. It was out of my mouth before I even thought it.

"Those are two different questions, honey. No, I never doubted my decision. Do you doubt your feelings for Edward?" she asks quietly.

"No, I really don't. And that's what scares me to death. I thought…I mean I was in love with him before, so I thought it would feel the same…when I knew last week where I was heading, I expected to have the same feelings that I did 15 years ago."

"But you don't?"

"No, this is not how I remember feeling. This time…it hit me like a truck. I can't breathe half the time, I'm so happy when I'm around him or talk to him, I could spend hours just looking at him, I don't know what I would do without him. But it feels so good, feels so right, that I don't question my feelings at all. I just doubt my ability to make it work, long term. I'm not good at that."

"Every relationship has ups and downs, times when one of you is more in love than the other, times when you don't feel the pull as strongly. In my opinion, the real secret to a long and happy marriage is sticking it out during those times – knowing that the passion will return and allowing yourselves to fall back in love with each other. Let's go to the ladies' lounge. Edward is listening to us." She smiles, whispering the last part.

We get up and I steady her a bit as she gets her cane. Edward looks up at me questioningly. I bend down to kiss him and whisper in his ear. "Ladies room. We'll be back."

Heidi leans against the built-in makeup counter in the lounge area of the ladies room studying me.

"Bella, what happened in your marriage to make you so skittish about love and marriage now?"

"What do you mean?" I play dumb.

"I mean that I know you were married for several years before your husband died and yet you're quizzing me about relationships and happy marriages. Did you and Marcus have a good marriage?"

"Heidi, I don't like to talk about it. I feel like I'm not respecting my husband's memory…he was a good man." I say, looking down at the floor.

"Were you in love with him?"

I look back up at her. "No. He wasn't in love with me either. We were friends always, lovers rarely, roommates mostly. We did parent well together, so we were a team then, but in every other way that a couple should be partners, we weren't. I was very sad that I let myself settle for marriage without love. And then when he died, I felt so guilty that I completely closed myself off…until Edward."

"Why did you feel guilty? Because Marcus died?"

"Kind of," I say teary yet again. "I felt guilty because even though I missed him as a friend and I was devastated that my children lost their father, I didn't grieve for him the way a wife should for a husband. I didn't feel that profound sense of personal loss. I feel guilty because he deserved that…but I couldn't give it to him."

"Oh, sweetie. You have got to stop punishing yourself. You are a good person. You deserve happiness."

"I think I'm getting what I deserve now: A fabulous man that I can't have full time," I sniffle.

"Why can't you have him full time?" she asks, perplexed.

"His life is here in LA. My life is in Seattle."

"No, Bella. His job is here in LA. When you commit to someone, your life is with that person, wherever they are. He can find a job anywhere."

"What if he doesn't want to?" I ask, my tears falling freely now.

"Bella, I've known Edward for three years. In that time, he has occasionally been at the same social functions that Aro and I have, and he always had a date. He always had a date that he was polite to, held doors for and fetched drinks for. But I never saw him with a date that he looked at the way he looks at you, constantly touched the way he does you, leaned over to kiss 13 times – yes, I counted – during dinner the way he does you. When it's time, his life will be where you are."

"Thank you, Heidi. Until last week, I never knew how many wise women I have in my life. But I have gotten more good advice in the last 12 days than in the last 12 years combined." I laugh, grabbing a tissue off the counter to wipe my eyes. I powder my face and reapply lipstick and we head back to the table.

Edward stands up to get Heidi's chair and then mine. I beam at him as he sits back down.

"Everything okay, baby? You looked upset when you left." He leans over to kiss me, that's 14, then takes my hand and rests it on his leg.

"Everything's fine. Just a little girl talk," I answer.

"I should have known. I'm sure you got an earful. I got it on Monday when I stopped by their condo. They double-teamed me," he laughs, leaning over to kiss my bare shoulder. Fifteen. "I ordered us chocolate cake to split, I hope that's ok. And coffee."

"Decaf?" Eyebrow raise.

"No, baby, I want you awake later." Lop-sided grin.

"Perfect." I answer and this time I'm the one leaning over to kiss him.

****

**A/N: This chappy got way longer than I intended...hope it didn't bore anyone.**

**Not quite done with LA, either, which was also not intended.**

**Really have to read my book club book now, so next update will probably not be until the weekend. :)**

**Thanks for reading...please review me**


	18. Chapter 18

_Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight. If I did, I would have a giant ass birthday party this week...I am officially old :( But I'm not bitter._

_****_

_Love is the answer  
at least for most of the questions in my heart, like  
Why are we here? And where do we go?  
And how come it's so hard?  
It's not always easy and  
sometimes life can be deceiving  
I'll tell you one thing, it's always better when we're together_

****

Once dinner is over, we all walk outside. We say goodbye while we're waiting for the valets to bring the cars.

I hug Heidi first, telling her I'll call soon, then I turn my attention to Gramps.

"I can never thank you enough for everything," I say, hugging him.

"I should be thanking you. I knew almost as soon as I met you that you were the right person to buy my company. The relationship with you that Heidi and I got out of it was a bonus that I didn't expect. I hope you'll visit when you're in town. And please call us to let us know how you're doing," he says sincerely.

"I will. You're a part of my family now. I'm claiming you and I don't let go easily," I say, squeezing a little tighter before I let go. He shakes hands with Jake and Edward and then they are gone, leaving me on the sidewalk, sad and sniffling.

"You'll see them soon, baby," Edward says, putting an arm around me. "Next time you come down to LA, we'll call them, okay?"

"Promise?" I ask, looking at him.

"Absolutely," he answers, kissing my forehead. "He's my Gramps, too."

****

When we get back to the hotel, Jake wants to stop in the bar for a drink. Edward and I agree to come, too, but I am sleepy, even with the coffee I drank at dinner.

We sit down at a table and Jake laughs as Edward and I both start to scoot our chairs closer to each other. I scoot close and he puts his arm around my shoulder, pulling me into his side.

"I'm not gonna make it much longer. I'm sleepy already," I say.

"Is that code for something between you two?" Jake asks, smirking at us.

"Yes, Jacob. It's code for 'Bella's tired. She's fucking going to bed soon.' Got it?" I retort, slightly irritable.

"Jeez, Bells. I think you should go to bed now. You're fucking grouchy," he laughs. Edward laughs, too, until I glare over at him.

"What did I do?" he asks, taken aback. I continue the glaring. "Drink your wine, baby, and I'll take you upstairs." He leans over to kiss me, then they start talking about whatever game is on the television above the bar. Since I watch ESPN now, I recognize the names, but I have nothing to add to their conversation. I finish my wine and then stand up. When Edward starts to get up, I put a hand on his shoulder.

"You can stay, if you want. I don't mind," I say, smiling down at him, feeling bad for my grumpy attitude.

"As tempting as Jake is, I think I still prefer you," he says, looking up at me. He pulls on my hand so I lean down and he whispers, "Plus, I want to see what's under that dress. I haven't had a coherent thought for three hours wondering about it."

I chuckle lightly. "All right. We'd better hurry, then. I'm serious about not being able to stay awake much longer."

He stands up so fast that he just about knocks me down. "We're going up, Jake. You coming?" he asks.

"Nah. I'm gonna have one more. I'll get you in the morning about 8, ok, Bells? Demetri's picking us up at 8:15 for breakfast and to go over the agenda for the meeting at Vulture."

"Sounds good. Night, Jake," I say, moving to his side of the table to kiss his cheek and hug him. "Thanks for coming with me this week. I love you."

"Love you, too, Bells. Night, Edward," he answers.

As soon as we're on the elevator, Edward puts his arms around me, bending down to nuzzle my neck. I sigh contentedly, loving the slight scrape of his five o'clock shadow against my skin.

"Give me a hint about what's under this dress?" he says against my collarbone.

"Patience, SG. Just a couple more minutes," I say, smiling.

"Will I pass out when I see it?" he asks.

"No, baby, I think you'll be wide awake," I answer, pulling his face up to mine and kissing him. He groans and pulls away when the elevator chimes that we've reached our floor.

****

Once we're inside the room, I walk to the bed and sit down to take off my shoes. Edward stays by the closet, taking off his clothes, then walks toward me shirtless and barefoot.

"Unzip me?" I say standing and turning my back to him.

"Sure," he answers, kissing one shoulder as he does. I hear him inhale sharply when he gets a look at the back of lace-up corset I'm wearing underneath.

"Jesus, baby. What is this thing?" He pushes the straps off my shoulders and the dress slides down. I catch the dress by one of the straps and step out of it, standing in front of him in my black satin corset and black lace panties. I turn around to smile at him. His mouth is hanging open and he's not blinking…just staring.

"I need to hang this up," I say, smiling, holding up my dress.

"I'll do it. Don't move," he says, taking my dress and heading for the closet.

He comes back to stand in front of me. He reaches up with both hands to cup my face and kisses me sweetly. "You look so fucking sexy, sweetheart."

"Thank you," I say, smiling at him.

He sighs. "Thank _you_," he whispers, "you're beautiful." He presses his lips to mine again, kissing me slowly, using his tongue to coax my lips open. He moves one hand down around my waist to pull me up against him and slides the other hand to the back of my neck, holding my head still as he shifts his to a better kissing angle. He kisses me until I'm breathless and desperate for him. Pulling away from his mouth, I kiss a path down his chest, and drop to my knees in front of him.

"Bella," he whispers.

Smiling, I look up at him as I unbutton and unzip his pants, I kiss down his stomach as I push his pants and boxers down, tapping on his shins until he steps out of them. The patches of new, pink skin on his knees catch my eye and I bend to kiss the spot on each one where his carpet sex scabs used to be. I look back up at him and he smiles down at me.

"You're beautiful," I say, tossing his words back at him, grasping his erection. I haven't done this in a long time….haven't wanted to do it in an even longer time. I lean forward and drag my tongue up the underside of him, exhilarating when I hear him gasp.

"Bella," he groans, not smiling anymore, "you don't have to." He strokes the back of one hand across my cheek.

"Edward, let me….let me," I say softly, then take him into my mouth.

"Baby…god…fuck," he whispers hoarsely, sliding his hand from my face into my hair and holding on, guiding me to what he wants. I alternately suck and swirl my tongue around him as he gasps and moans above me.

"Bella, come here, I need to be inside you," he says urgently.

I take my mouth off him long enough to murmur, "You are inside me." Then I go right back to sucking him.

"Holy fuck, sweetheart. I'm serious…I want to be with you…please," he pleads. I raise my eyes to look in the greenest eyes and am lost. I release him and he helps me stand up, kissing me desperately and backing me to the bed. I go willingly, pulling him down onto the bed with me. He pulls my panties down and flings them to the side then looks uncertainly at the corset.

"What?" I ask.

"I can't decide if I want you to keep this on or not," he says, looking distressed.

I reach up and tangle my hands in his hair. "I want it off," I say. "I don't want anything between us right now." I swallow the lump in my throat…not sure where that came from. He leans down to kiss me sweetly, then sits up to straddle my thighs and gently unhook the tiny clasps holding the corset together down the front. When it's all unhooked, he slides an arm under my back to lift me slightly so he can pull the corset out from under me, then he tosses it on the floor.

"Wear it again for me sometime?" he smiles down at me.

"Of course, baby," I answer, smiling back. He lays down on top of me, pushing my legs apart to get between them.

He puts his open lips to mine, but doesn't really kiss me, just holds them there. "Bella," he breathes into my mouth. I reach up to touch his face with my hands and he grabs them with his own, linking them and pulling them over my head. Then he slowly slides into me. My breathing hitches and I feel tears prick my eyes so I turn my head to one side. He kisses my upturned cheek and asks, "Happy tears?"

I nod. He begins to move slowly…so slowly that I think he's trying to torture me.

"Goddamn, you feel so good. Look at me. Baby…can you feel…what I feel for you?" he says as he continues the tortuous pace. I look at him and nod, my eyes still filled with unshed tears. He lowers his head to kiss my neck.

"Edward…I need you," I say, lifting my legs to wrap around him.

"Baby, you've got me…I'm right here…not going anywhere," he grunts, shifting to hold both of my hands in one of his and skimming his free hand down my body, over my breast and then lower to grab my thigh and move it up higher around him. He changes his angle slightly, but still doesn't speed up. He puts his lips back to mine and kisses me gently, nipping at my lower lip.

"I need to touch you," I croak against his lips, my throat still thick with emotion. He lets go of one hand and I immediately lower it to his face.

"Bella," he breathes against my lips. I pull his mouth to mine and kiss him passionately, sucking and biting at his lower lip. Finally, he picks up the pace. I moan which seems to further spur him on.

"God, baby…….Edward…..it's too much," I say.

"Bella, come with me….baby, please," he says. I feel him release inside me then he reaches between us to touch me and I explode around him, groaning. "Sweetheart, jesus…you're amazing." He lowers his head to my chest and laves lazy kisses on one breast and then the other while I lie there panting and trying to catch my breath.

When he looks up, I smile at him and he smiles back. Then he lifts off me and moves to the side, collapsing on his stomach, his face turned toward me, eyes closed. I roll to my side, looking at him. We lie there for several minutes catching our breath. Then I reach my fingertips up to trace his eyebrow, his lips, the line of his nose. He smiles.

"It's official. I can't have any more sex," he murmurs.

"Have I worn out the Sex God?" I ask with a giggle.

"Yes. You weren't lying to Aro. You do have superior endurance. And sexy fucking lingerie," he says, opening his eyes. I lean in to kiss him, then climb on top of him, my front on his back. I place tiny kisses all over his shoulders and upper back.

"Are you spooning me, Swan? Isn't that the guy's job?"

"Are you saying I'm a guy?" I ask threateningly.

"You're most definitely not a guy," he replies. I bet he's smirking, but I'm too content where I am to check.

"Just showing my affection for you, SG. This day has been so fantastic. And I'm looking forward to having you back in Seattle this weekend."

"I…Bella, I really care about you…about this relationship. I really need to get my hands on you," he says, rolling until I get off him. I lie on my back and hold my arms up for him. He snuggles into me, wrapping an arm around me and tangling our legs together.

"I really care about you, too," I answer, kissing the top of his head.

"Ready to sleep now?" he asks when I yawn.

"Yeah. Goodnight, baby."

"Goodnight, Bella. Sweet dreams."

****

In the morning, I'm up and almost ready before he wakes.

"You already showered? I wanted to shower with you," he says grumpily from his spot in the bathroom doorway.

"We can shower together tonight…after the kids are asleep, okay?" I say, trying to appease him. I walk to the doorway to kiss him good morning.

"All right," he says. But he still sounds grumpy. He gets ready and when Jake arrives, they take our luggage down to Edward's car so we don't have to come back to the hotel later. Demetri arrives. Jake and I are getting ready to get in his car when Edward pulls me aside.

"I can't believe I'm asking, but what do you have on under your skirt today? Something else to torment me?" he asks quietly, smiling down at me.

"Just some regular white panties…regular sheer white panties. You'll like them," I answer. I stretch up on my tiptoes to kiss him and say cheerfully, "Bye!" Then I hop in the front seat of Demetri's car.

****

Our meetings are finished by early afternoon and Edward picks us up to head for the airport. When we get on the plane, Jake takes a pill and immediately sits down on the bench seat. Edward looks at me questioningly as we sit down in two chairs facing each other.

"Dramamine. Jake gets air sick," I say.

"Bella," Jake says warningly.

"Relax, Jacob. Edward won't tell anyone that macho man Black can't fly without hurling, will you, Edward?"

"No, the secret's safe with me," Edward says, looking over at Jake.

As soon as we're airborne, Jake unbuckles and lies down on the bench seat. I get up and get a blanket to cover him, then sit back down and smile at Edward.

"So, it's almost two months away, but will you be my date for Jake's wedding? I will warn you though, you'll have to do the wedding party dance," I say, rolling my eyes.

"You're a bridesmaid? I didn't realize you and Nessie were that close," Edward says, raising his eyebrows.

"Not a bridesmaid; a groomsmaid. I am standing up with Jake," I answer, smiling widely.

Edward smiles back. "Nessie isn't bothered by that? That Jake's best man is a woman?"

Still smiling, I roll my eyes. "No, not after he told her I was the closest thing he has to a brother. I'm not sure if that's an insult or a compliment," I say thoughtfully.

"That's a compliment," he answers sincerely.

I shrug. "That's what Jake said…I said I'd rather be a sister, but he has two actual sisters and he didn't ask them to stand up with him, and said it would hurt their feelings if he called me his sister, too. So I got promoted to full 'bros before hos' status…those are his words, not mine. Please don't repeat that to Nessie. I'm pretty sure it would ruin the honeymoon."

Edward is laughing now. "I won't say anything. Bella, I would really like to be your date."

Behind us, Jake snores. We both laugh.

"He's out, huh?" Edward asks.

"Yep. The Dramamine gets him every time. He'll sleep the whole way."

"How soundly does he sleep?" he asks me thoughtfully.

"Like the freaking dead. I could barely get him awake when we started the descent to LA yesterday. Why?"

Edward smirks at me and stretches his legs out so he can intertwine our feet. "Bella, how do you feel about the mile-high club?"

Blushing and laughing, I answer, "Never joined."

"Me neither. Why don't we initiate each other?" he says lowly, leaning forward to take my hands.

"I thought the Sex God was all sexed out," I smirk.

"I've had a miraculous recovery…brought on by thinking about someone's see-through underwear all morning," he says, smiling crookedly at me.

I shake my head…I can't think straight around Edward. He's almost got me talked into this.

"The bathroom is tiny…just like on a commercial plane," I hedge.

"We don't take up that much space when I'm inside you," he counters quietly, his green eyes darkening.

I close my eyes and swallow. Fuck. He's got me. I open my eyes and turn to look over my shoulder at Jake. He's out, still snoring. I turn back to look at Edward.

"Well, take some of that off," I wave a hand at the suit coat and tie he's still wearing. "I'm not screwing you while you're wearing a full-on suit. Give me a minute to get the undies off," I say. I kick my shoes off and leave them by my seat.

"I wanted to take them off you," he whines quietly.

"No room in the lavatory for that. I'll let you see them later, 'kay?" I say standing up and bending to kiss him quickly before walking to the bathroom. I get inside and take the panties off, then open the door for my skyway seducer.

He comes in, maneuvering around to get the door shut. He took off his coat and tie and rolled up the cuffs of his shirt. We don't smile at each other; we both attack immediately. Breathing hard already, we dive into the kiss, tongues warring with each other, my hands running through his hair, his hands roaming from my ass up to my chest and back down again. I move my hands to the buttons of his shirt and unbutton several so I can get my hands inside.

He grabs my waist and lifts me up to sit on top of the small vanity, still kissing me passionately. He starts unbuttoning my top and I move my hands to help him – the shirt I'm wearing has a gazillion tiny buttons…we'll be in Seattle before he gets them all undone. Once unbuttoned, he pushes the shirt apart and bends his head to kiss down my chest. He pushes the cups of my bra down and latches onto a nipple, sucking hard, while fondling the other breast with his hand.

"Edward, god, please….I want you," I murmur.

"Want you, too, baby," he answers, switching his mouth to the other breast and moving his hand to stroke between my legs. He pushes two fingers inside me and rubs my clit with his thumb. I was already close; I come almost immediately, biting my bottom lip to keep from crying out, and he raises his head to watch my face before putting his open mouth on my closed one.

"I've never seen anything so beautiful," he says against my mouth. His words, along with the fingers he's still moving in and out of me, give me another mini orgasm.

I try to reach the zipper on his pants, but our position is too awkward. I'm reduced to begging. "Baby, please…please hurry."

"Lift up a little," he says, moving his fingers out of me to push my skirt up around my waist. I hear the zipper on his pants. He positions me where he wants me and finally enters me. He groans into my mouth, I whimper into his. He moves against me frantically, holding me where he wants me with one arm around my lower back and the other holding the underside of one of my thighs. I come a third time and he follows soon after, gasping against my mouth before lowering his head to my shoulder and sucking gently.

"Jesus Christ, I can't get enough of you, Bella."

I pull his face up to look at him. "I can't get enough of you either," I say. I put my lips to his, kissing as passionately as I have the energy to, trying to pour all my feelings into his mouth. Our kisses slow until finally I pull my mouth away and pull him to me, resting my head against his shoulder.

"We'd better go back out before Jake wakes up. God, I hope we weren't loud….I really have no idea if we were or not," I laugh.

"We were quiet," Edward answers against my hair. "Good practice for tonight, right? We'll have to be quiet with the kids in the house."

"Right. And you have to pretend to sleep in the guest room," I say, lifting my head up to smile at him.

"That will be easy for me. I am very sneaky," he says, smiling, and pressing his lips gently to mine. We both get our clothes refastened and adjusted, stealing quick kisses every few seconds. Edward finds my panties and admires them before helping me slide them back on.

He peeks out the door. "Sleeping Beauty still sleeping," he says, looking back at me. He grabs my hand and we walk back to our seats together.

"We may have solved one dilemma," he says, after we're seated again.

"What's that?" I ask, hooking both of my legs around one of his.

"Your hair doesn't get messed up during afternoon airplane sex," he says sincerely.

I laugh out loud and get up to kiss him.

"Sit here with me for a little bit?" he asks, pulling me down to his lap. I give in because I want to be close to him, too.

I wake Jake up when the pilot calls back to say we'll begin our descent soon. As usual, it's like waking the dead, but finally he is sitting up and buckled and I'm buckled back in my own seat, too.

"Man, I was out. What did I miss?" he asks, yawning and stretching.

"Nothing," Edward and I say together, smiling at each other.

****

The limo picks us up and takes us back to the building where my office is, dropping us in the underground garage so we can put our luggage into my car. Jake rushes off to see Nessie.

I turn to Edward. "I need to run upstairs for a little while. I hope that's okay."

"Of course," he smiles at me.

My employees are staring at Edward just like last week as we pass by the windows of the HR and Accounting departments. When we get to my office, Lauren smiles widely at us and hands me a stack of mail.

"I emailed all your phone messages to you, Bella. Mr. Cullen, can I get you anything? Water or something?" she asks sweetly.

"No, thanks, Lauren. And please call me Edward." He says smoothly, smiling back at her.

Smirking, I note that she didn't offer to get me a water. In her defense, I've told her before not to wait on me…and he is really beautiful…especially with the afterglow and messy hair from the plane sex. We go into my office and I sit down at the desk while Edward wanders around, looking at the pictures on my wall. I unpack all the files I took with me to LA and put them away. I go through the mail, look at my phone messages and decide I really only have to return a couple today. While I'm on the phone, Edward grabs the envelope containing James' copies of all the signed documents from my desktop.

"I could take this to James' office for you," he says after I hang up.

"I'm not sure that's a good idea. You'll start shit with him." I say looking up at him doubtfully.

"I won't. I promise I'll behave," he says, leaning across my desk to kiss me…and that is when James walks in unannounced. He clears his throat. Edward is still kissing me and I know he's doing it on purpose. I roll my chair backwards, breaking the kiss and raising one eyebrow at him while he smirks at me. I turn to look at James.

"Hi, James. I was just getting ready to come to your office. I have your copies of all the signed documents," I say. I know I'm blushing and I feel flustered.

"Thanks, Bella. Edward, I didn't realize you had more business in Seattle," he responds icily, taking the envelope from Edward's outstretched hand.

I close my eyes, dreading Edward's response. "I have business here every weekend now. You might as well get used to seeing me around, James." Edward says pleasantly, but I hear the threatening undertone.

I open my eyes and look up to James. "James, I know we were going to meet this afternoon, but I really want to get out of here today. Can it wait until Monday? The kids have been with the sitter since yesterday morning and I need to rescue her," I laugh, trying to lighten the mood.

"You're the boss, Bella," he says tersely. He turns and leaves my office without another word.

I glare at Edward and get up to shut the office door.

"What?" he smirks. "I didn't know he was going to walk in."

"That's not why I'm pissed and you know it. I already have an overprotective dad, I don't need you to come here and try to start fights with everyone who's mean to me, too. Please don't undermine my authority."

"I'm sorry, Bella. I didn't mean to do that," he does actually sound contrite. "I just think he has a thing for you and he's way too possessive of you."

"You're calling someone else possessive? You were just kissing me in front of my lawyer. And, mister, the next time you want to kiss me in my office, just shut the damn door," I say, walking to him and reaching up to kiss him.

"Yes, ma'am," he says. "It's shut now, so can I keep kissing you?" His arms are wrapped around my waist and he begins to slide one hand south toward my butt.

"No. Sit down and behave yourself so I can finish my phone calls and get out of here," I say, smiling and sliding my own hands down to squeeze his butt before pulling away and walking around him to sit back down at my desk.

****

When we get to the house an hour later, the kids are excited to see that I brought Edward back with me. They immediately rope him into playing video games. From where I am standing in the kitchen, I can hear them playing…he's yelling as loud as the kids.

I hear a tap on the back door and look up to see Angela…bearing drinks, of course. I wave her in.

"What's up with the knocking?" I ask.

"I heard you have a weekend visitor…again…and didn't want to interrupt anything," she smiles.

"How'd you hear Edward was here?"

"News travels fast at DiClemente Publishing…especially news involving a certain Sex God. I heard James caught you two kissing, too. Please, please tell me that is true!"

"It is. It's not worth discussing…James isn't worth discussing. What did you bring me?"

"Sex in the Shower…to get you in the mood for later, after the kids go to bed," she winks, handing me the cup she's carrying.

"Angela, I don't need to be put in the mood. I seem to always be in the mood. I think I'm making it too easy for him."

"Lily having a good time, is she?" she asks with raised eyebrows.

"Yeah, you could say Lily is living the good life right now," I laugh.

"Who's Lily? Hi, Angela," Edward says, coming through the kitchen doorway. He wraps his arms around me from behind and sniffs my cup. Angela tells him the name of the drink, which he then encourages me to drink and even laughingly drinks some of it himself.

Angela declines my dinner invitation, but hangs out for awhile while I'm cooking. Edward helps the kids set the table, causing Angela to make googly eyes at me and hold a hand over her heart when he's not looking. I mouth, "I know," and hold a hand over my heart, too.

After dinner, we all watch a movie together. It's a terrible movie, but Edward doesn't complain and even laughs along with the kids at all the bathroom humor. I roll my eyes at him when he looks over at me, but he just smiles the crooked grin that always makes me smile back.

After the movie, I tuck the kids in bed and when I come back downstairs, the kitchen lights are turned off and I hear the dishwasher running. I walk back to my bedroom and Edward is lying down on his side…asleep. I get ready for bed and climb in next to him, scooting close to him. He stirs, putting an arm across me, but doesn't really wake up. I kiss his lips softly so I won't wake him, and drift off into a contented sleep.

I hear his phone alarm go off at 5 and put an arm across his chest to hang on to him before he can get up. "Stay," I mumble, kissing his bare chest. He kisses the top of my head and holds me close for a second before pulling away.

"You're too tempting. I'll never be able to go if I start kissing you," he chuckles sleepily. "Go back to sleep, baby."

"One kiss," I plead, trying to get my eyes open…I am halfway successful, getting my left eye open to look at him. He laughs, but does kiss me quickly.

"See you in a couple of hours, Bella," he murmurs, touching my cheek gently. I am back asleep before he leaves the room.

****

On the way to Chase's game that afternoon, the Informer tells Edward what the two bitchy moms at baseball said to me about the lack of a father figure in Chase's life and lack of a love life for me. I didn't even know she'd overheard those comments. Edward looks over at me for confirmation. I roll my eyes and nod, saying she was more or less right about what they said. He shakes his head.

"Edward, we talked about this yesterday. I am not a damsel in distress. I don't need saving. And no PDA at the ballpark; I recognize that look in your eyes, SG," I state firmly. He nods.

When we get to the field, Chase asks Edward to come meet his coach and Edward ends up tossing some balls to the boys warming up. Sophie and I find a spot to sit down on the bleachers while Michael heads off to the concession stand with some other kids. The bitchy moms are sitting two rows higher than me and are discussing Edward already, trying to figure out who he is. I cringe as Sophie turns around to them.

"He came with us. He's my mom's boyfriend from Los Angeles," she says sweetly. Sophie may have been hanging around Angela too much. She's perfectly imitating the sweet tone with a snotty 'tude just like my bestie uses.

Edward comes up to sit on my other side, leaning over to say quietly, "Point out the meanies."

"Behind us, two rows up. Don't turn around," I answer just as quietly.

"Can I grab your ass? Give them a little show?" he asks, smiling at me.

"No!" I hiss.

"Can I lift up your hair and show them the hickey on the back of your neck?" He's laughing now.

I join in. "Not that either."

"Hold your hand?"

"That you can do," I answer. So he does. He holds my hand for the whole game, letting go only when we clap for Chase's team. He leans close each time he wants to say something to me, even though it's not necessary. When the game is over, he helps me down from the bleachers before going to find Chase. The bitchy moms descend immediately.

"Bella, I didn't know you were dating anyone. Where have you been hiding him?" asks Bitchy Mom #1.

"I haven't been hiding him," I answer flatly.

"I would if I was dating him. He lives in LA among the stars, right? I bet he has to fight off all those beautiful women constantly…or maybe he doesn't fight them off," Bitchy Mom #2 chimes in. Edward and Chase are walking back toward us and I can tell by his scowl that he's heard this comment. I try to warn him off with a look, then I smile at him. The moms turn around to see what I'm smiling about.

"Ready to go, beautiful? I told Chase I'd take you guys to dinner to celebrate his win," he says, walking up beside me and draping an arm across my shoulders.

"Yeah, I'm ready. Let's go," I answer, wrapping an arm around his waist. The kids run ahead of us toward the park exit and Edward lowers the arm around my shoulders to my lower back, then a little lower, going for the ass grab. Laughing, I reach back with my arm to move his back up and he leans down to kiss me, laughing too. "Knock it off, Edward. You know they're still watching."

"I know, baby. I know," he says.

****

When we get home from dinner, we all go swimming. Ang and Ben see us outside and come over, too.

"So, I was thinking you kiddos haven't spent the night at our house all summer. You want to stay over tonight? I'll let you watch horror movies and stay up super late," Angela says to my kids. Of course, all three answer yes immediately.

"Ang," I begin.

"Oh, zip it, Bells. I really do want them to spend the night. It's just a bonus that it gives you and Edward a little alone time before he goes back to LA. We'll take them to breakfast in the morning so I don't poison them with my cooking," she laughs. "And we'll call before we bring them home to give you warning. Go have fun."

Before I can protest anymore, she's got the kids out of the pool, dressed, packed and off to her house.

"I don't like the look on your face. Is this okay with you? We can go kidnap them back," Edward says as he smiles at me, sitting down on the end of the chaise where I'm reclining.

"No, it's okay. It's just hard for me to relinquish control of them to anyone. And Ang didn't even ask me first, which she knows pisses me off. But they'll have fun. I just wish I could think of a way for us to have some fun of our own," I say, sitting up and pulling on Edward until he scoots farther up on the chaise, sitting between my legs.

"Scrabble?"

"I'm not playing Scrabble with you. You'll kill me with legal terms. Boring legal terms," I snicker.

"Ouch. That wounds me," he laughs, leaning in to kiss me. "My girlfriend thinks I'm boring."

I sit up to kiss him. "I like it when you call me your girlfriend," I say softly, wrapping my arms around his shoulders.

"I like it that you are my girlfriend," he laughs.

"I like it that you won't have to sneak back to the guest room at the crack of dawn."

"You know, you promised me we could shower together last night and I got gypped out of it," he says, nuzzling my neck.

"No, you fell asleep before the kids did. There was no gypping involved," I laugh.

"I was worn out by my hot girlfriend," he answers.

"Oh, now you're just trying to get in my pants," I say.

"I hope you know that's not true," he says, offended, pulling back to look at me.

"Relax, Edward. It's just a joke. I mean, sort of. I do think you want to get in my pants…I hope you still want to get in my pants…but I don't think you're sweet talking me so I'll sleep with you. I think you're just naturally sweet, which is more dangerous because you're so totally disarming," I ramble. Jesus, where has the filter between my brain and my mouth disappeared to?

"Bella?"

"Yeah?"

"Shut up and kiss me," he laughs.

"I thought you wanted to shower," I say, leaning away from him to recline against the back of the chaise.

"I do. But I want to kiss you first," he says, leaning farther over me.

"Then what are you waiting for?" I smile.

"I'm waiting for you to shut up," he laughs, then moves all the way in, reaching around to lower the reclining back of the chaise, suddenly dropping both of us flat and knocking his head against mine.

"Smooth move, Sex God," I laugh rubbing my head.

"Sorry," he laughs, rubbing his own. I grab his head between my hands and kiss the spot he's rubbing, then kiss his lips, pulling him completely on top of me. Our make-out session lasts for a long time before he finally gets up and pulls me to my feet to head to the shower.

After we wash each other, I finally get to put the shower seat to use, pushing Edward until he sits down and climbing up to straddle him. I move on him slowly at first, only speeding up when he begs. We sit in the steamy shower afterwards wrapped around each other until the water starts to cool. We get out and towel each other off. I dry my hair partway before walking to the bed with a towel still wrapped around me.

Edward is sitting up in my bed eating ice cream from a mini carton of Haagen-Dazs.

"Want to share my ice cream?" he asks. I nod. "Come here, baby. And lose the towel," he says hoarsely. I get in bed and he feeds me bites in between taking his own.

"Want to watch a movie, SG?" I ask.

"Sure. You pick. But nothing too girly," he answers. I scroll through the movies I have saved on the DVR and finally settle on _Bringing Up Baby_. I will watch Cary Grant and Katharine Hepburn in anything, but this is my favorite. He nods approval and we settle in for our naked-ice-cream-eating, movie-watching party.

"We sure have a lot of sex," I say after the movie starts.

"Is that a complaint?" he laughs.

"No, just an observation. I kind of forgot how much I used to like sex until you came around," I giggle. He chuckles and kisses my shoulder, pushing down the sheet I had yanked up to my armpits. "I was cold," I explain.

"Evidently," he says, smirking and watching my nipples react to the air in the room…or to the proximity of him, whichever. He pulls me to him murmuring that he will keep me warm and he does. By the time the movie is over, he's warmed me up twice. I yawn and he turns out the light and television then moves us to our sides, spooning me. I am almost asleep when I feel a tickle on my shoulder.

"Are you writing things on my back?" I ask, laughing, as I realize it's his finger tracing on my shoulder.

"Yes." I feel his smile against my back before he kisses it.

"What are you writing? 'Property of Sex God'?"

He laughs. "No, but that's a good idea."

"What are you writing?" I ask again.

"See if you can figure it out."

"Sweet dreams."

"You're good, Swan. Now go to sleep."

"No. Write something else."

"Okay."

"My Bella."

"Right. Now go to sleep for real."

"Okay. Goodnight, Edward." I say, snuggling back against my big spoon. He wraps his writing arm around me and kisses the spot on my shoulder again.

"Goodnight, love," he whispers just before I fall asleep.


	19. Chapter 19

**_Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight or any of its characters. I do pay for OnStar, for which I am fucking grateful tonight! _**

**_Make me feel good when I hurt so bad_**  
**_Barely getting mad_**  
**_I'm so glad I found you_**  
**_I love being around you_**

**_****_**

When I wake up Sunday morning, I roll over and reach for Edward, but he's not there. Frowning and barely able to get my eyes open, I pull on my robe and go looking for him. He's standing at the stove, with his back to me, wearing shorts but no shirt. I stare for a minute, studying the curve of his back…and admiring his ass. I could spend the day just staring at him. I sigh loudly and he turns around to smile at me.

"Hey, you. I was going to bring you breakfast, sleepyhead. I hope you like scrambled eggs because it's the only way I know how to cook them," he says with a laugh then turns back to the stove.

I smile and walk to him, wrapping my arms around his bare torso from behind and kissing his back. He rubs one of my arms with his free hand and I sigh again.

"Thank you," I murmur against his back.

"For what?" he asks, surprised.

"For everything, Edward. For visiting me, for being sweet to me, for cooking for me."

"You do stuff for me all the time," he says, chuckling. "Aren't you supposed to do things for the person you're dating?"

"No one's cooked for me like this for a really long time. I just want you to know that I appreciate it." I'm trying not to burst into tears here, Edward, I think.

"Bella, you don't have to do everything on your own," he says, twisting around and pulling me to his side. He squeezes me with his free arm and kisses the top of my head.

"I'm starting to get that," I say, kissing his chest where I'm pressed up against him.

Angela gives us the warning call before we are done eating. No more lovin' for Bella today. But Edward wanted us to take the kids to do stuff today, anyway. They choose a ferry ride and then lunch out. When we get back, Edward helps me weed the flower bed for awhile before abandoning me for a game of two on two basketball with Ben and my boys. Angela, Sophie and I end up watching them and laugh hysterically at the taunting each team does.

After dinner, he tells the kids goodbye and they go over to Angela's so I can drive Edward to the airport. Before we leave the house, he kisses me until I'm weak-kneed and then hugs me tightly, both of us hanging on until the last possible minute. I chatter all they way to the airport, even though I don't feel like it, because I don't want him to know how crappy I feel that he's leaving. When we get to the airport, we kiss once more and say goodbye. Somehow I manage to keep the tears at bay until he's inside the terminal, then allow myself to cry.

I stop by my parents' house to get myself together before I go home. My mom gives me cookies and milk like I'm a five-year-old…maybe because she didn't ever do it when I _was _a five-year-old. And, oddly, it seems to help my attitude to have a kid snack and a pep talk with my mom. My dad appears once the tears have stopped and I am grateful once again that my parents re-found each other. Kind of like Edward and me, I guess, smiling.

****

The next three weeks pass in a blur. Summer is winding down, so there's school shopping to be done. Work is busy following the acquisition of Vulture and the internal restructuring my company is going through because of it. It's good for me to stay busy, I know. I have a lot less time to miss Edward. We talk during my commute almost every day, both ways. We usually text each other several times during the day, and we always talk at night before bed. He comes up to Seattle every weekend, but we don't get much alone time unless we stay up late…which we do. So by the third weekend we are both exhausted.

On the way to the airport that third Sunday night, we hold hands but don't talk much. I am still teary and depressed on Sunday evenings, so now my parents come over each week following my airport drop-off with some sort of surprise to cheer me up…usually chocolate is involved. But last week it was Mariners tickets for the kids…on a Saturday in two weeks…with a promise to me that they would take the kids overnight so Edward and I could have a night alone. I was so thrilled that I didn't miss the chocolate.

"So, you're coming down to LA Thursday night?" he asks as we near the airport.

"Yeah. It'll be late though. We're not leaving until after Michael's baseball game. I can stay at the hotel if you want," I answer.

"No. You promised you would stay with me when you're in LA. I'll pick you guys up at the airport," he says firmly.

"Nessie is coming, too. Jake thinks she needs to get away. He says she's starting to act psycho about the wedding. It would probably be easier for us to just get a car," I offer.

"Bella, I would really like to pick up my girlfriend at the airport when she comes to visit. I don't care how Jake and Nessie get to their hotel," he says testily.

I don't reply. I just look over at him with wide eyes and raised eyebrows.

He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. "Sorry. That came out wrong. I'm happy to drop Jake and Nessie off, too. I just meant that I would like to do the boyfriend thing with you when we get the chance."

"Okay. Fine. Pick us up." I reply tersely.

"Man, we are grumps," Edward remarks. "Maybe we should try to sleep more when I'm here," he muses, smirking a little and stroking my thumb with his.

I look over at him again, smiling slightly this time. "Nah. I'm not grumpy from lack of sleep. I'm grumpy because you're leaving. I hate Sunday nights. My parents usually show up with chocolate when I get home from the airport."

He laughs. "Really? I usually buy a Toblerone for the flight. I hate Sunday nights, too." He raises our joined hands to his mouth and kisses the back of my hand.

I pull into the drop off lane at the terminal to let him off and sigh, turning in my seat to face him. We smile sadly at each other and then Edward leans in to kiss me, his hands on the sides of my neck.

"Only four nights apart this week," he says, trying to cheer me up.

"Yeah, but Thursday doesn't count. It will probably be 11 before we land in LA," I answer, still grouchy.

"Oh, it counts. I still get you in my town for three nights. Will you go out with me Friday night? Like on a real date?" he asks earnestly.

My face breaks into a real smile now. "Really? Yes, I would love to. You know, you don't have to take me with you to this big lawyer dinner on Saturday."

"Oh, no. You're not getting out of it that easily. I know it will be boring for you, but I only have to pay attention for Caius' speech, then I can distract you…somehow," he says, smirking and kissing me again. When I open my eyes, I see Security approaching. We get in trouble every Sunday for sitting in the unloading zone too long.

"The kissing police are coming. You'd better get going, SG," I say, kissing him quickly once more. "Call me when you get home."

"Bella, more and more LA is becoming just a place I live…not home. But I'll call you when I'm back in my apartment," he says quietly, getting out and opening the back to get his bag out.

"Have a safe flight," I say, looking at him in the rearview mirror, my heart pounding from what he just said.

"I will. Bye, love," he says, meeting my eyes in the mirror and smiling at me.

I drive home with my big stupid grin and barely even need the brownies and rocky road ice cream my parents bring over. But I eat some anyway, wondering if Edward is eating his chocolate, too.

****

I am dreading the week, afraid it will drag until Thursday, but it goes by pretty fast. The kids are begging to have friends over constantly before they lose their freedom and go back to school, so my house is a little like Grand Central Station with all the comings and goings. Four girls spend the night Monday night and five boys Tuesday night. I am on the phone with Edward when the boys are over and they are so loud I have to go outside so I can hear him.

"Jesus, I thought the girls were loud last night," he says. "But the boys are even louder."

"It's a different kind of noise though. The girls are harder on my nerves, for sure; more high-pitched squealing and giggling. The boys are more yelling and thundering through the house. It sounds like a fucking stampede. And, of course, the older boys don't want the younger boys around, so I have to referee several arguments. I gave them all marshmallow guns earlier and sent them outside to have a war. I'll probably have every dog in the neighborhood in my yard now, eating all the marshmallows off the ground," I laugh.

"You have marshmallow guns?" he asks excitedly.

I roll my eyes and laugh. That's what he got out of that entire speech? I guess they are all really stuck at 14. "Yes, baby. Do you want to play with them the next time you're here?"

"Absolutely. You and me against the kids. We can take them, for sure."

I laugh again at his enthusiasm. "Ok, SG. You're on. When you're here in two weeks, it's Marshmallow Armageddon. You know how the little one likes to smack talk though, right? He'll call us losers forever if we don't beat the pants off them."

"Don't worry. We'll win. So what else is going on up there?" he asks.

"I've been shopping for dresses for the bar association dinner that my boyfriend is dragging me to. I'm bringing three choices. Will you help me decide?"

"Sure…but isn't Angela better with fashion?" he asks uncertainly.

"She's already helped me narrow it to three choices from seven. Now I need a guy's opinion," I answer.

"I'm more interested in what you'll be wearing under the dress," he says suggestively.

"I've been shopping for that, too," I reply softly. I suddenly realize that the house is quiet…eerily quiet for a house with seven boys ages eight to ten inside.

"Uh-oh. Too quiet inside. I better go see what the boys are up to," I say. "I'll call you tomorrow morning."

****

Finally, it's Thursday night. Michael's game is over and the kids have gone to my parents' house for the weekend. We actually get out of Seattle about an hour earlier than I thought we would. Jake sleeps on the plane, as usual, so Nessie and I look over her wedding plan book. She's so excited….I feel a little sad as I remember planning my wedding and realize that I never had the glow in my eyes that Nessie does.

"Jake said that Edward's coming to the wedding with you?" she asks.

I smile. "Yes." My eyes are most likely glowing now.

"How serious are things between you two?" she asks, looking at me with interest.

"I'm not sure how to answer that. I see him every weekend, talk to him several times a day…I guess serious, but no one's dropped the L-bomb," I laugh.

"Do you love him?" She's a nosy little thing tonight.

"Yes. I'm just afraid it's too soon to tell him."

"Bella, if you feel it, you should say it. What are you waiting for?"

"I don't know," I shrug.

"Then grow some balls and tell him," she says. I laugh because I've never heard her talk like that, but she talks over me. "Now, this is a pic of the bouquet I ordered for you…it's small, I know you said you didn't want to carry anything too big," she starts. Yay, we are back to wedding talk. I listen intently, excited for her and for Jake and for this wedding that I get to bring my hot boyfriend to.

When we deplane, Edward is waiting for us, standing in his jeans and dark grey t-shirt, one hand in his pocket and the other holding a bouquet of brightly colored flowers, smiling crookedly at me as I smile widely at him. I walk quickly toward him. When I am close, he closes the distance, wraps his arms around me and kisses me, lifting me up off the ground.

"Hi, baby. I'm so glad you're early," he says, looking in my eyes before setting me down. He doesn't let go of me as he says hi to Jake and Nessie, but pulls back afterward to hand me the flowers.

"Thank you. They're my favorite. How did you know?" I say, smiling looking down at my bouquet of bright pink Gerber daisies. Edward shrugs and winks at me as he and Jake grab the luggage and lead the way to Edward's car.

Nessie grabs my arm and we hang back a little. "Bella, he's crazy about you. Did you see the look on his face when he saw you? _My_ heart flipped _for_ you," she gushes.

"You think? He just looks like Edward to me," I reply.

"You mean he always looks at you like that? He was totally eye fucking you, Bells. How do you keep from jumping him constantly?"

"I don't. When we're alone, I jump him constantly," I say and we both laugh.

He's holding the passenger door for me when I get to the car and he kisses me again before I get in. When he gets behind the wheel, he immediately reaches over to put a hand on my leg and I put my hand over his, smiling over at him. We drop Jake and Nessie at their hotel and then finally we are alone and headed to his apartment.

"Hope you remembered to get all your other girlfriends out of the apartment before you picked me up," I joke.

"Ha ha, very funny. Any other girl would run away screaming when she saw what I sleep with," he says mischievously.

"Got a security blanket, do you?" I ask, grinning.

"Yep. It's black silk and tiny and I keep it under my pillow," he says, turning slightly red.

"You sleep with my thong under your pillow? That's…pervy, Edward," I laugh.

"I know, hence the running away of other girls," he laughs. "You're the only one who would put up with me."

"Somehow I doubt that," I say. "I'm sure you could have any girl you bat those long, pretty eyelashes at."

"I'm going to pretend you didn't just call my eyelashes pretty," he says laughing. He frowns then as he says, "Bella, I really need to tell you something. This dinner on Saturday…there's a good chance that an old girlfriend of mine will be there."

"Okaaaaay," I say, drawing the word out for a few seconds. "I'm not sure what I'm supposed to say to that."

"Nothing. It's no big deal. I just wanted you to know," he says.

"What's her name? What's she like? When did you date?" I ask, firing the questions off as fast as I can. I want this conversation to be over by the time we get to his apartment.

"Her name is Victoria. She's a lawyer for a big, prestigious firm; she's kind of a bitch; we dated about two years ago on and off for about a year. It wasn't serious…more like we both needed someone to go to these kinds of events with." And have sex with, I add in my head. He parks the car, turns it off and looks over at me.

"Pretty?"

"Yes," he concedes.

"Did you live together?"

"No. I've never lived with any girl. I never wanted anyone in my space…until you."

I smile at that. "Anything else I should know?"

"If we run into her, she'll probably be mean to us. We did not part amicably," he says with a wry smile and a chuckle.

"Don't worry, baby. I'll protect you," I say teasingly, putting my hand on the side of his face. "Now, if you're done bragging about your old girlfriend, I'd really like to go upstairs and pee."

He laughs and kisses me. "I love you," he says, then looks embarrassed. "This is not how I planned to say that…it came out before I could stop it."

"Did you mean it?" I ask, one eyebrow cocked the way I know drives him crazy. My heart is pounding so hard that I'm sure he can hear it.

"Yeah. I meant it. I love you," he says, touching my face with the back of his fingers and looking at me with dark green eyes. I sigh and close my eyes for a second. When I open them, he's smiling.

"I love you, too, Edward," I say, smiling back at him. I lean forward to kiss him gently, then I pull away. "Are you done with the declarations for the next few minutes? As much as I like that last one, I really, really have to pee."

He laughs. "I'm done. Let's go."

****

Once we get in the apartment, I head straight for the bathroom while Edward puts my luggage in his bedroom. When I get back into the living room, I open the door to the balcony and walk out to smell the sea air. The ocean just smells different at the beach. Edward comes out and hands me a beer, then stands beside me at the railing. I put an arm around his waist and lean my head against his shoulder.

"Can we walk on the beach this late?" I ask after taking a drink of my beer.

"Yeah. Do you want to?"

"Definitely. Can I bring my beer?"

"You're not supposed to, but we'll put them in a plastic cup and share, okay?" he asks.

"Perfect." I go into the kitchen and find a cup to pour our beers in while Edward grabs an old quilt in case we decide to sit.

We walk up the beach a little way, and then decide to sit. He spreads the quilt out for us and sits down spreading his legs for me so I can sit in between and lean back against his chest. He wraps his arms around me and kisses the top of my head. We sit in silence, listening to the gentle roar of the waves, sharing the beer until it's gone.

"I love sitting here listening to the ocean," I say quietly.

"I love sitting here listening to the ocean with you," he says in my ear. He pushes me forward a little and I feel him move toward the side. I turn too so that we are facing each other. He puts one hand on the back of my neck and leans down to kiss me, I use my heels to dig in the sand and scoot my butt closer so I can get my upper body all the way up against his chest. I pull away from his mouth when I am breathless and he kisses across my jaw and down one side of my neck.

"I love you," I say. I want him to know I wasn't just saying it back earlier.

"You love me," he says, smiling, and kissing my lips again.

"And you love me," I respond.

"Baby, I do." He mumbles against my lips, coaxing my mouth open with his.

I giggle, pulling away. "What?" he says smiling at me crookedly.

"We're in love. Doesn't that sound corny? I really like saying that though," I say, wrapping my arms around his neck and hugging him tightly.

"Bella, I feel so lucky that I found you again, that you love me again," he says, pressing his lips to my neck and putting his hands up the back of my shirt.

"I'm the lucky one. You know, there aren't too many guys who want to date the daughter of an overprotective ex-police chief, who has three kids, three bossy, busybody friends, and a best friend who's a guy…a straight guy," I say laughing.

"I like Jake. I like your friends. And I think your family is great, especially the kids," he says.

"See? That just proves how lucky I am."

"All right. We're both lucky…but I'm luckier," he laughs.

"You think?"

"Uh huh."

"Then take me back to your apartment and we'll see who gets lucky," I say smiling and kissing him.

We get up and walk back to his apartment, holding hands. He leads me straight to his room, not bothering to turn on any lights. We undress each other quickly, and I pull him down to the bed with me. I gasp and he moans as he pushes into me. Our first time every weekend seems to be this way. After being apart for days, we can't seem to go slowly at first. I come quickly with my legs and arms wrapped around him and he follows right after.

"God, I love you," he says, his head buried in the pillow by my shoulder.

"I love you, too…so much," I answer.

"I really was going to find a more romantic way to tell you," he says, chuckling.

"You don't think saying it in a parked car immediately following a conversation about your old girlfriend and my need to pee was romantic?" I laugh.

He groans and mumbles something against my shoulder that I can't understand.

"Edward, look at me," I say, waiting to continue until he does. "You know what is romantic? It's romantic that you make me coffee every morning that we're together; it's romantic that you fly up to see me almost every weekend; it's romantic that you found out from someone my absolute favorite flowers in the world and gave them to me; it's romantic that you call or text me during the day just to see how I'm doing. And it's romantic, and may I add fucking hot, that you told me you love me just because you felt it, not because you planned it out. It was fucking perfect," I finish, pulling his head down and kissing him.

Then I get lucky…again.

****

Friday morning, Edward has an early meeting so he drops me off at Jake's hotel with a quick kiss and a promise to text me when his meetings are done. I eat breakfast with Jake and Nessie, then Jake and I get a cab to Vulture Publishing, now a division of DiClemente Publishing, for our meetings.

The morning goes by quickly, meeting with staff at the office. We eat lunch with Demetri, Alec and Jane. Jane is growing on me – we're getting more comfortable around each other. Once I got past her shy exterior, I found out she's very nice…and has a wicked sense of humor. I'm going to enjoy getting to know her better. I definitely want to go out with her next time I'm down here.

The afternoon meetings are much more boring. Insurance and investments. This is the stuff I usually defer straight to Jake on, but I sit in on the meetings since I'm here. Right before three, my phone buzzes on the top of the conference table where I'm sitting, listening to various suits try to sell me on various investment strategies. I pick my phone up, biting the inside of my cheek so I don't break into my 'It's from Edward!' grin.

***B – Bored yet?**

***E – YES**

***B – whoa, shouting, babe**

***E – Sorry. Really bored. Where r u?**

***B – my office. But ready 2 go when u r**

***E – come get me now**

***B – 30 minutes?**

***E – perfect**

***B – ok, I love you**

***E – I love you, too**

Okay, so I broke into the grin when he said he loved me. That's what girls do. I look at Jake. He's smiling at me. I give him the signal to wrap it up and he manages to get the suits to comply.

After dropping Jake off at his hotel, we head to Edward's apartment. I sit on his bed to take off my heels, then lie back and watch him as he takes off his suit coat and white dress shirt and lays them on the chair in the corner. He turns and sees me watching him, so I crook a finger at him. He comes to lie beside me on the bed, kissing me softly, then propping his head on his bent arm.

"So where are you taking me tonight?" I ask.

"Dinner and my favorite dive bar," he answers. "Tomorrow night we're in a crowd and formal. So tonight, I want it to be just you and me and casual. Is that okay?"

"Edward, if you said we were going to an art museum, it would be fine. If you said we were going to the zoo, it would be fine. If you said we were going to Texas, it would be fine. I really don't care what we do as long as we are together," I answer.

"So, you probably don't want to wear something this nice to a bar, right?" he asks, starting to unbutton my blouse. "I'll be happy to help you get out of your work clothes."

"Really? Wow. That's so nice of you…helping me….clearly with no ulterior motive," I say sweetly. He's got the shirt unbuttoned and is kissing down my upper chest toward the front clasp of my bra.

"Honey, I hate to burst your bubble, but I do have an ulterior motive," he murmurs against my skin before raising his head to meet my gaze.

"Shocker," I retort sarcastically. He laughs and kisses my lips, moaning a little when I hook my leg around his and pull him half on top of me.

"I was going to say that I wanted you to hurry up and change because I'm hungry. I ate lunch really early," he says, making me laugh.

"Okay, let me up, SG, and we'll get you some dinner," I say.

"I'm suddenly not so hungry for dinner. Maybe I need to rethink this plan," he says kissing back down my neck toward my chest.

"Are you trying to get out of our date?"

"No. Just want to postpone for an hour," he says, kissing the skin just above my bra now.

"Perfect. Then I can try my dresses on for you and you can help me pick one, since we have an extra hour," I say, trying to push him off me and get up.

"Bella, don't be obtuse," he chides, holding me down with an arm across my waist.

"Edward, don't use your superior vocabulary on me," I chide back.

"Wait, I almost forgot. I have something for you," he says, rolling to the side and reaching into his pocket. He hands me a palm tree keychain with a key dangling from it.

"What's this?" I ask, grinning crazily, knowing what it must be.

"It's a key to my apartment. So you can get in whenever…you know…if I'm not here," he says, looking at the key instead of me. I smile. He's extra cute when he's embarrassed.

"Edward, why won't you look at me?"

He raises his eyes to mine. "I'm looking at you," he says defensively.

"Thank you, Edward. I've never had a key to anyone else's apartment before," I say, smiling at him.

"I've never given anyone a key before. And before you make some smartass comment, I would give you a key even if you lived here full time. I want you to feel comfortable here," he says.

"I do feel comfortable here. But I would probably be more comfortable if I could get out of these work clothes. I just wish I had someone to help me," I respond.

"I'm on it," he says with a laugh, reaching for me again.

****

An hour later, we head out for dinner. We eat at a Thai place a couple of blocks away and then walk back about a block to his favorite bar. He's right, it's a dive. We order beers and carry them to a booth in the back where we sit down across from each other.

We each drink a couple of beers, talking quietly. We're holding hands on top of the table when he looks over to the bar and mutters under his breath. He pulls his hand away from mine and sits back in his side of the booth.

"Hey, E!" I hear someone call from the bar. Edward rolls his eyes at me. I turn and see a young, cute guy waving at Edward. He grabs the two drinks he's ordered from the bar, says something to the girl standing next to him and they make their way to our table. He sits down beside me, raises his eyebrows at Edward and says, "Is this Bella? Introduce us to your girl, E."

Edward sighs exasperatedly. "Bella, this is Eric and this is Lucy. They are lawyers in the same firm as me. Guys, this is Bella DiClemente," he says somewhat sullenly.

We all say hi and Lucy sits down next to Edward.

"So you're the reason Edward's been disappearing every weekend?" Eric asks, smiling at me.

"Yeah, I guess. I live in Seattle," I answer. Edward hooks his foot around mine under the table. I look at him, smiling, and he mouths "sorry".

"You know you guys are crashing my date, right?" Edward asks, still sullen.

"Jesus, E, why would you bring Bella to a place like this on a date?" Eric asks.

"Fuck, I don't know, Eric. Maybe I was trying to be alone with her somewhere where I thought you wouldn't find us," he says, smirking now at Eric. Okay, now I'm getting it…they're friends.

"I live in the same building as Edward," Eric says looking at me. "I have been known to annoy him by refusing to leave his apartment before," he laughs.

"Do you live there, too?" I ask Lucy.

"No, Eric just drug me down this way after work. I like the guy that plays guitar here Friday nights. He's cute. Wait 'til you see him," she nods at me.

"Hey, her boyfriend is sitting right here," Edward says to Lucy.

"Relax, Edward. Guitar man is married. But we can still looky, looky. Just not touchy, touchy," she laughs.

"So, are you two…," I ask, motioning back and forth between Lucy and Eric.

"God, no!" Lucy answers vehemently. "He's a complete ass. I could never date him. Besides, he has about fourteen girlfriends at a time."

"Thanks, Luce. And I'm only dating three girls right now," Eric clarifies, looking over at me. "But only because I didn't meet you first. Too bad Edward got old man Volturi as a client instead of me. I could have been the one flying to Seattle every weekend," he teases. Edward doesn't seem to think it's funny.

I use my James glare on Eric. "My Gramps is not an old man," I say to him, pretending to be pissed.

Eric looks a little scared. "Sorry, Bella. I didn't mean to offend you. I've met Mr. Volturi before. I really like him," he says quickly.

Edward is laughing now. "Eric, she's screwing with you. Take it from one who knows…she and Aro love to screw with me."

Edward's attitude improves after that and I have a good time with his friends. Eric is funny and Lucy seems really nice. She's right about the guitar player, which I tell her when we go to the bathroom together, but I make her promise not to tell Edward I said that.

When we come back from the bathroom, Edward is gone and Eric stands up to let me in our side of the booth. Before he can sit back down, Edward is back from the bar with a round of drinks for us and he kicks the back of Eric's leg to scoot him out of the way.

"I'm done letting you sit by Bella," he says, smiling. "I know how handsy you get after this many drinks."

"Yeah, well I know how handsy _you_ get after this many drinks, so I think Lucy should sit by me and you boys can sit on the other side," I retort, giggling.

Edward sits down by me anyway and kisses me quickly. "Sorry they invaded our date," he whispers.

"It's okay. I'm having fun and I'm really glad I got to meet them. I haven't really met any of your friends," I whisper back.

"Eric and I are pretty good friends. Lucy tags along once in a while with us….I'll fill you in later," he answers quietly. "How much longer do you want to stay?"

"I'm tipsy. Probably should stop drinking after this one if I have to be upright tomorrow," I smile.

"Sounds good. I'm ready to go after this one, too. I don't want you to start wishing you were going home with the guitar player instead of me," he says, smiling.

"Well, he is cute," I start, "but he doesn't compare to my boyfriend, who, by the way, I love."

"Maybe we should go now," he says, kissing a spot right in front of my ear.

"Jesus, guys, break it up," Eric laughs. "E, when did you turn into a 13-year-old girl? You're over there whispering like my little sister and her friends used to."

"Shut up, Eric. You're just jealous that you're not the one whispering in Edward's ear," Lucy says. "Is Bella getting in the way of your bromance?" We all laugh.

We finish our drinks and walk back to Edward's. Once we're inside, he kisses me until I'm breathless, then steers me into his bedroom, where he slowly peels my clothes off and loves me.

****

"I love having you here," Edward says to me. We are sitting at the little table on his balcony drinking coffee and watching the early morning joggers on the beach. He's wearing shorts and a t-shirt. I'm lazy and not dressed yet, wearing his discarded white dress shirt from yesterday. "Are you wearing anything under that shirt?" he asks, looking at me over the top of his coffee mug.

I shake my head. "Too lazy. This is the first morning in awhile that I haven't had to hurry up and be somewhere. I might sit here all day in your shirt." I smirk at him and sit back, propping my feet on the third chair and crossing my ankles.

"Jesus. Do you do this to me on purpose?" he laughs.

"Do what?" I ask innocently.

"Isabella Marie, you know what I mean," he says.

"Oooo, you middle-named me," I laugh. "No, hotshot. I'm just relaxing. Any discomfort I cause you is just a side bonus."

He scoots his chair over closer to mine and drapes an arm around my shoulders. Leaning over to kiss my neck and then my cheek, he says, "You drive me crazy."

"Bad way or good way?" I ask, pulling my sunglasses down to look at him and raising one eyebrow.

"Good way." His phone vibrates on the table top. He picks it up and reads the text quickly. "Eric wants to go for a run. Wanna go?"

"No way, dude. Did you miss my earlier comments about my impending laziness?" I smile at him, and touch my finger to the small cleft in his chin. "I might go walk on the beach, though. Yes, Dad, I have my key," I snark when I see him starting to ask.

"That's not even what I was going to say, smartass," he says, reaching to tickle my waist with both hands. He pulls me toward him until I relent and sit sideways on his lap so he can kiss me breathless. I put one foot on the ground so I can swing the other leg over and straddle him, facing him. I grab his hair with one hand and pull until he tilts his head to the side so I can kiss his neck. He unbuttons two buttons of the shirt over my stomach and puts a hand inside to cup my breast, rubbing his thumb over the hardening nipple. I moan against his neck.

"Bella, baby, let's go inside," he says.

"More fun out here," I say, raising up to smile at him.

"I can't do what I want to you out here," he says, looking beautiful in those damn sunglasses.

"Exactly. But I can do this," I say, rubbing myself over the crotch of his shorts.

"Fuck…you're driving me crazy again," he says, but he's smiling at me, still caressing my breasts with one hand and moving the other hand to my thigh to sneak up under the shirttail.

I swat that hand away. "Uh uh, Cullen. You're not showing my ass to the whole beach." I laugh as I kiss him again. Then I pull back so I can see his whole face. "I love you, Edward."

"I love you, too," he says, reaching up with the swatted hand to grab my neck and pull my mouth back to his. As we're kissing, I grind my hips down on his a few more times, then hear someone yell 'get a room' from the sidewalk below. I pull away from Edward's lips and turn to wave down to the yeller, an older guy walking two little yippy dogs. Then I see a familiar face standing on the sidewalk watching us, too.

"Good morning, Kate," I yell, waving and smiling at her. She glares at me and takes off jogging away from us in her black sweats with the word 'juicy' across her butt.

Edward laughs, pulling his hand out from the shirt and wrapping both arms around me to hug me tightly. "You have a mean streak, Swan."

"I am selective, though. I'm only mean to skanks and douches. Especially skanks who want to get in my man's pants," I respond against the top of his head.

"Bella, no one's getting in my pants except you."

"Good to know. I'm gonna shower and take my walk. You go run with Eric."

"Are you sure? I could stay. I'm sure we can think of a way to get my heart rate up," he says, rubbing his hands up and down the outside of my bare thighs.

"Nope. I want you to go with Eric. I'll see you back here later."

"You're awfully bossy for such a little thing," he says, swatting at my butt as I get up off his lap.

"Yeah, and you're awfully horny for a guy who's already gotten laid twice in the last 18 hours," I say leaning down over him and trailing my hand up his thigh, over his obvious arousal and the wet spot I left there, then up his chest. I kiss him slowly and thoroughly, then pull away. "See ya, SG. I'm going to go get naked in your shower."

"Bella," I hear him groan as I go in through the balcony door and quickly walk to the bathroom, locking the door behind me.

****

As I'm leaving the apartment to head to the beach an hour later, I run into Kate in the hallway.

"Hi, again, Kate," I say. I am using a nice tone, not sarcastic at all.

She glares at me, muttering something under her breath.

"Excuse me?" I ask, slightly snotty now.

"I said I can't imagine what Edward sees in you. You're not good enough for him," she spits at me.

"You're right. I'm not. No one is, really. He's an incredible guy."

"You're not even that pretty. I don't know what the attraction is."

"I'm not sure," I answer slowly, pretending to be thinking about it, "but I think it might be all the amazing sex we have. He's definitely attracted to that."

Now she's fuming. "This will never go anywhere, you know. I know you don't live here and Edward's not moving just for a piece of ass."

"That could be true. He wouldn't even walk across the hall for a piece of your ass, huh? Then again, he does fly up north almost every weekend for a piece of mine. So there may be a flaw in your thinking," I answer sweetly, turning and walking toward the elevator.

"You bitch!" she says loudly, through clenched teeth. Her mostly-full water bottle flies past my head. I turn back to look at her and can't contain my laughter.

"Oh, Kate, you really do crack me up," I say as the elevator arrives to get me the hell away from her.

I make my way out to the beach and walk at the edge of the water, carrying my flip flops, looking out at the horizon where water and sky meet. I wonder if Kate might be right about one thing: Edward hasn't mentioned anything about moving at all. The first two weekends we were together, he kept saying we would figure this distance thing out, but the subject hasn't been broached by either of us since.

Relax, Bella. It's only been six weeks. Did I really expect him to completely uproot his life after such a short time? What's a reasonable amount of time to expect some action on his part? Six months? Rose and Esme both thought before Christmas…so that would be five and a half months max. Maybe I should say something to him about it. Or maybe I should just let it develop on its own…not be pushy…not make him feel pressured.

I walk away from the water a bit to the dry sand and sit down, pulling my knees up to my chest and wrapping my arms around them. Why am I letting this bother me now? It wasn't bugging me at all until the skank brought it up. And he did give me a key, which I'm gathering is a pretty big step for him.

I look farther up the beach and see Edward and Eric jogging toward me. Edward is talking with his head turned toward Eric. He really is incredibly hot. He has taken his shirt off and tucked it partway in the side of his waistband so he doesn't have to carry it. Eric says something that makes him laugh out loud. I smile automatically at hearing his laughter. I put my thumb and index finger in my mouth and let out a loud wolf whistle. They both turn their heads to look for the whistler and Edward's smile gets wider when he sees me. They slow down and jog over to where I sit.

"See something you like, ma'am?" he asks.

"Yeah, your friend is super hot. Can you introduce me?" I answer, smirking up at him.

"You're hilarious, Swan," he chides. He drops to his knees and wraps me in a sweaty hug.

"Ew, Edward. I just showered," I complain, giggling. He laughs, too, and kisses me. "Go finish your run."

"We were slowing down anyway. Walk back with us?"

"I don't want to crash your guy time," I say, looking from Edward to Eric.

"No, come on, Bella. Come with us. He'll just whine about it if you don't," Eric laughs.

"I don't whine," Edward whines, causing Eric and me to laugh at him. He stands up and reaches a hand down for me, pulling me to my feet when I take it.

"Stay back, sweaty boy," I laugh, wading back into the water while they stay on the wet sand.

"Come closer. I promise I won't get my sweat on you," he entices.

"Don't believe you. You tell me all the time how sneaky you are," I say. He sticks his tongue out at me.

"Very mature, Cullen," I say sarcastically. "So, Eric, are you coming to this dinner tonight, too?"

"Yeah. Caius roped most of us into it. I think he wants guaranteed applause after his speech. Does he know Bella's coming?" he asks, looking at Edward.

"No. I don't have to run my dates by him," Edward says defensively.

"Dun, dun, dun," Eric laughs. "Now I wouldn't miss this dinner. It will be very interesting."

"Why?" I ask, clearly out of the loop and not liking it.

"Caius has made no secret over the last few weeks that he'd like to have you as a client, or more. He's been trying to get Edward to use your high school connection to set up a meeting with you. He said he couldn't decide if he wanted to be your lawyer or your escort. I thought E's head was going to pop off during that meeting."

"Why didn't you tell him we were dating?" I ask Edward, perplexed.

"It's none of his business who I'm dating or who you're dating. He just wants to use you; either screw you to get you as a client or get you as a client to screw you. I'm not sure which." He's frowning…getting grouchy fast.

"Nice language, Edward," I say, smirking at him.

"Jesus! Even if we weren't dating, I wouldn't sic Caius on you. Although there's a good chance he'll think I'm bringing you tonight for him." Now he's smirking back at me. "I'm going to have a good time disabusing him of that particular notion."

"Great. Now I'm a pawn in your relationship with a colleague," I say, but I'm grinning at him. "Are you bringing a date, Eric?" I ask.

"No."

"I thought you were dating three girls."

"I am, but none of them are bar association dinner material, if you know what I mean," he laughs. I don't. I look from Eric to Edward.

"He likes them blonde, ditzy and scantily-clad," Edward clarifies, laughing.

"Watch it, Cullen. I could tell some tales on you, too," Eric replies.

"Anything that happened before Bella doesn't matter," Edward says, smiling at me. I smile back and walk closer to him, not caring anymore that he's sweaty. I wrap an arm around his waist and squeeze before hooking my thumb in the waistband of his shorts to hang on.

"Eric, you want to come up for lunch?" I say when we get back to the building.

"No, he doesn't," Edward answers.

"Yes, I do," Eric counters, leaning around Edward to smile at me. "You said you wanted me to get to know her," he says to Edward.

"I meant tonight, not this afternoon," Edward pouts as we get on the elevator.

"Be nice, Edward. You guys stink. You shower, I'll cook. Okay?" I ask.

"Christ. You found a woman who actually cooks?" Eric asks. I look at him icily with one eyebrow raised.

"Watch it, Eric. Don't piss her off. She's got a mean streak," Edward whispers loudly enough for me to hear.

"Bella knows I was joking. Don't you, Bella?" Eric laughs.

"Yeah, Eric. You don't have to be scared…yet," I reply, winking at him, as Edward and I get off on our floor. "I'll make you something extra special for lunch."

"You might want to reconsider lunch," Edward says laughingly to Eric as I pull him down the hall with me.

****

"Do you want to go somewhere this afternoon or hang here?" Edward asks after lunch. Eric went back to his place, but is bumming a ride with us tonight. A ride there, at least. Edward is convinced that he'll hook up with someone there and go home with her.

"I'm fine with hanging here…think I'll take a nap. I have a feeling I'm going to need to be fully rested for tonight. What's up with you not telling me any of this Caius bullshit was happening?" I say.

"Sorry. I should have told you. It just pisses me off and I didn't really want to talk about it."

"Don't keep things from me, Edward. I don't need you to protect me. I am fully capable of standing up for myself."

"Jesus, baby, I know that. But I _want_ to protect you. It's really hard for me to let you do it all on your own."

"I'm trying to learn not to do it all on my own, but you have to learn not to withhold information from me. It pisses me off," I say. I take a deep breath and try to adjust my tone, so I don't sound so angry. "Edward, I love that you want to help me, but the best way for you to do that is for you to support me, not stand in front of me with a big stick trying to solve all my problems."

"You're right. It's my nature to try and take over. That's not fair to you. I'll try to stop. Now can we talk about the afternoon?"

I roll my eyes, but say yes. I think he's just skipping over stuff he doesn't want to talk about though. I am a master at diversion…so I know it when I see it.

"How about sex then a nap? Or a nap and then sex? Or sex, then a nap, then more sex?" he asks, waggling his eyebrows at me.

"Don't you ever get tired of these weekend sex marathons, SG?" I ask, putting my arms around his neck and smiling up at him.

"Uh, I'm a guy, so no. Plus, afternoon sex is fun and we don't get to do that very often at your house."

"Touché."

"Will you put my shirt back on?"

"Absolutely not," I say firmly. Of course, after a couple of minutes of Edward persuasion, I relent.

"Nap first," I tell him, coming out of his room in the white shirt carrying a pillow.

"Okay, baby. Come here," he says, taking my hand and leading me to the couch. He sits, turning the TV on to a baseball game, propping his feet on the coffee table and putting my pillow on his lap. I grab the throw off the back of the couch and lie down. "Go to sleep, sweetheart. I'm going to watch the game and look at you."

I lie down on my side and wrap both hands around the thigh that I'm resting on. He plays with my hair for a minute before resting his hand on my side and creeping his fingers toward the side of my breast.

"Hey! Trying to sleep here," I scold laughingly.

"You sleep with me touching you all the time," he defends.

"Yeah, but that's usually after you've worn me out," I laugh.

"I could wear you out now," he says suggestively, fully cupping my breast now and rubbing his thumb across the hardened nipple.

"Keep your pants on, hot shot. Give me two hours and then I'll give you what you want. Deal?"

"Deal." He agrees, moving his hand back to my side. As I'm drifting off to sleep, I hear him whisper, "I love you, Bella."

****

A/N: Ok, so I failed at updating quickly this week....but I had a totally fuckawesome birthday, followed by the crappiest 3 days at work I've had forever (and I love, love my job usually, for real) and capped off with a flat tire tonight. I'll try to do better next week!

Thanks for reading, please review!


	20. Chapter 20

_Don't give us none of your aggravation_  
_We had it with your discipline_  
_Saturday night's alright for fighting_  
_Get a little action in_

_****_

Two hours later, I sit up and find Edward kind of slumped over on the arm of the couch, sound asleep. He can't be comfortable like that. Hmmm, wake him for sex or let him sleep? Yeah, that's not really a contest. I straddle the leg closest to me and start kissing his neck.

"Good nap, baby?" he asks groggily.

"Mmhmm. You?" I ask, trailing a hand down his chest and inside the waistband of his basketball shorts.

"Jesus, Bella. I think you should nap every time you're here," he chuckles, unbuttoning the front of the shirt I'm wearing to get his hands inside. "Do you always wake up this anxious from naps?"

"Only with you, SG," I answer, pulling him slightly away from the back of the couch so I can get his t-shirt off.

"Oh my god, you are completely naked under this shirt? I never would have let you sleep if I'd known that," he says laughing and rearranging me so I'm straddling his lap. He pulls me toward him, kissing down my neck to my chest. I sigh contentedly and run my fingers through his hair.

He pushes the shirt off my shoulders, then gently lays us down. He moves his mouth to mine, kissing me urgently as he rocks his hips against mine. We are both panting as I use my hands and then my feet to push his shorts off and he pushes into me immediately.

"Jesus….fuck….I love you, Bella," he says, holding still for a moment and looking in to my eyes before he slowly starts to move in me.

"I love you, too," I answer breathily, pulling his head down to me and kissing his neck.

I dig my nails into his shoulders as he moves faster, using one of his hands to push one leg up closer to my chest. I gasp and then groan at the way this position hits the right spot…inside and out. He raises his head up to smile smugly at me then, making me laugh. He leans back down to kiss me and I come quickly, panting into his open mouth. After a few more thrusts, he follows, lowering his head back to my shoulder as he groans.

We both lie still for a few minutes. I can feel both of our heartbeats, first beating frantically then slowing down. Edward holds me tight and shifts us to our sides, facing each other. He kisses my forehead and I tilt my head back so he'll kiss my lips, too.

I suddenly realize there's some game still on the tv when I see him trying to sneak a look over my shoulder while he's still kissing me.

"I see you, hotshot. Eyes on the girlfriend who just sexed you please," I say, laughing when he quickly shifts his eyes back to mine.

"But, baby, it's the end of the game….can't I just watch the last inning?"

"Oh my god, I'm dating my father!" I say. I kiss him again then lower my head so he can see the tv better.

"Thanks, baby," he says softly, kissing the top of my head and reaching over me to grab the blanket from the floor to cover us up.

"Can't we just stay here tonight?" I ask, pulling my fingers lazily through the hair on his chest. "I promise to make it a night you won't forget."

He laughs heartily and kisses the top of my head again. "I wish we could. If Caius wasn't speaking, we wouldn't move from right here. Next time you come to LA, we'll have a night in, okay?"

"Okay. Then I guess I'd better decide what I'm wearing. I'm going to do my fashion show for you," I announce. Then I kiss him again, intending just to give him a chaste peck, but we are still naked and rubbing against each other, so it goes a bit further. I hear the announcer on tv say that the Dodgers have won which makes Edward smile against my lips then kiss me more enthusiastically. Finally, I pull away. "Stay right here," I admonish, disentangling myself and getting up to walk away, still naked.

"Couldn't move if I tried," he says, grinning.

****

"Okay, choice #1." I walk out to the living room in a navy blue strapless cocktail dress.

"I like it. How is it going to stay up, though?"

I roll my eyes. "It won't be a problem. I'll go put on #2." I go back out in the champagne-colored halter dress. It's my least favorite, but Angela liked it. Edward nods, but doesn't say anything. I go back for the third. It's black, hits just above the knee, one shouldered, with beading at the top.

"This is my favorite," I say as I walk out.

Edward looks at me as I stand there. "Turn around," he says. When I'm facing him again, he stands up and walks over to me, holding the blanket around his waist. "You look gorgeous," he says, leaning down to kiss me, cupping my face with one hand.

"Thank you," I murmur against his lips, smiling.

He pulls his face back to look me in the eyes. "There's no way you're wearing that."

"What? I thought you liked it," I say, feeling a little hurt.

"I do. It's way too sexy," he answers.

"I thought guys liked it when their dates looked sexy," I say, eyes narrowed. He's screwing with me…I think.

"We do like it when dates look sexy. But we don't like it when women we're in love with look sexy. When we take you out, we want you to wear turtlenecks and dresses that come down to the floor. Or pants….really baggy pants." He's smirking now.

"It's gonna be okay, sweetie. What did Lucy say last night? Looky, looky, no touchy, touchy?" I say, putting my hands on his face to kiss him.

"It's gonna kill me to have them all looking at you tonight. I still get to touchy though, right?"

"Oh, yeah, you bet your sweet ass you do," I say. "I'm gonna shower. Wanna come?"

"You bet your sweet ass I do," he repeats.

****

When we get to the dinner, it's still cocktail hour. Edward leaves me with Eric and goes to the bar to get us drinks.

As soon as he's gone, I turn to Eric. "Do you know Victoria?" I ask.

"Yes. I think practically everyone, every guy anyway, knows who she is," he answers.

"That pretty, huh?" I ask, starting to deflate.

"She's beautiful, until she opens her mouth. She's an absolute bitch," he responds. "Why?"

"Edward mentioned that she might be here. Will you point her out to me if you see her?"

"Sure. Just stay back. She has a major grudge against Edward," he says.

"Why?"

"They were dating on and off for awhile, I think you know. Right at the end, they were arguing a huge case against each other. He won and it pissed her off so badly that she punched him in the stomach right there in the hallway of the courthouse. Then she was going to go for his face, but Lucy pushed her and she fell on her ass. Edward and Lucy laughed and that was the end of Edward and Victoria and the beginning of Victoria's grudge. It was the talk of the courthouse for weeks," he finishes, laughing.

"You must be talking about my BFF," Lucy says, walking up to us. We all chat for a few minutes, then see Caius headed our way with another older man.

"Uh oh. Where the fuck is Edward? I don't want to be in the middle of this shit," Eric says nervously.

"Don't worry. I'll handle Caius," I answer, taking a deep breath and plastering a big smile on my face.

"Lucy, Eric, I see you've met Mrs. DiClemente. Bella, it's great to see you. I had no idea you would be joining us tonight," he says, holding out a hand.

"Hello, Caius. When I heard you were speaking, I just had to come," I say, shaking his hand and offering my cheek when he leans in for a kiss.

"Well, I'll try not to disappoint you," he says, still holding onto my hand. "I'd like you to meet Felix, one of the founding partners of the firm."

"Hello, Felix. It's nice to meet you," I say, smiling. I manage to extricate my hand from Caius' to shake hands with Felix.

"Bella DiClemente. I've heard a lot about you. To whom do we owe this delightful surprise?" he asks, holding my hand between both of his.

"Edward. I was in town for some meetings yesterday and Edward asked me to come." I gently pull my hand away from his.

"Remember, Felix, Edward and Bella are old high school friends. Where is Edward anyway? Oh, there he is – with Victoria – I should have known," Caius says with a chuckle. We all turn to look and see Edward holding a wine glass and two beers and looking pissed off as he talks to some blonde. Crap. She's beautiful….and tan….and thin….and her dress is elegant, not skanky like I had hoped. He looks up and sees our entire group looking at him. He turns to walk toward us without another word to Victoria.

"Hello, Caius, Felix. Here's your wine, Bella," Edward says coming to stand behind me…right behind me…reaching around to hand me my wine. He hands Eric his drink too.

"Hello, Edward. Bella was just telling us that she came along with you tonight. We saw you talking to Victoria. She didn't look happy that you have a plus-one tonight. I always thought you two would end up back together," he says, still chuckling. I sip my wine…repeatedly.

"No. We were never serious," he says. He scoots in between Eric and me and turns to look at me and say, "Plus, she hit me in the corridor of the LA courthouse. I don't really like her at all."

"Edward, I think you're destined to be an old bachelor like me," Felix chimes in. "You always end up hating the women you date just like I do. I've learned to leave out the middleman: Every five years I find a woman I hate and give her half my money." We all laugh at his joke, but I feel nauseous after hearing his comment about Edward being a bachelor long-term.

What the hell is wrong with me today? I need to channel Emma a little bit here. She wouldn't be upset about something like this….I will not freak out about whatever the state of my relationship with Edward is. But I'm tired of just seeing him on weekends and wish he would give me a clue about whether he wants more with me. Maybe insta-family is too much for him. Maybe I should just enjoy the stellar sex for as long as it lasts and quit worrying. Maybe I should get a refill of my wine…

"With all due respect, Felix, I don't intend to be a lifelong bachelor. Victoria just wasn't the right girl. I do intend to settle down with someone one of these days," he says, looking right at me again. I feel better and smile shakily at him. When a waiter comes around to refill the wine, I gladly accept and start sipping again.

The conversation moves toward my company, steered by Caius. Felix becomes pretty attentive toward me, courting me as a potential client now and moving so that the three of us are cut off from the rest of the group. Edward turns his back to me to talk to Eric, probably not wanting to be a part of the full-court press I'm getting from his bosses. I know I won't get any peace until I agree to a meeting, so I do, after making it clear that I intend to use my Seattle-based attorney as general counsel. I always intended to use Edward or one of his colleagues as our local LA counsel.

Behind me, Edward is engrossed in conversation with Eric and Mike Newton, who's joined us now, too. He hasn't even been listening to the wooing I've endured from them, and he hasn't touched me in any way or been attentive in a boyfriend or even a date sort of way. Normally, I wouldn't mind, but Caius has been badgering me about Jake and I've had to straighten him out about the nature of that relationship, insisting that Jake is like my brother, not my boyfriend. He shifted closer to me after that revelation and began touching my arm and my hand every time he spoke to me or if I said something that amused him.

Needing a break, I excuse myself to the ladies' room. Lucy comes with me. As we walk to the ladies room, she chuckles and says, "It's killing Edward to have Caius and Felix monopolizing all your conversation. He keeps looking over at you three and scowling."

"Then he should freaking do something about it. I mean, really, this is ridiculous. I don't know why he didn't tell them we are dating. He just sort of left me over there with them. I can handle the business conversation, but I'm not sure what I'm supposed to be telling them about my relationship with Edward," I say. The alcohol from the two glasses of wine is kicking in, and it is not helping my anger…it's intensifying it. I decide I'd better be quiet. I'm sure Lucy's loyalty lies with Edward and I don't want to have anything I say in anger now repeated to him later.

When we come out of the bathroom, he's in the hall with two glasses of wine. He smiles at me tentatively. I don't smile back. Lucy mumbles something about getting back to the party.

"Hey," he says, handing me one of the wines.

I take a drink of the wine but don't say anything to him.

"Sorry you got stuck with Caius and Felix," he says, stepping closer to me. I step away. He follows, standing right next to me again. I step away again. This would be funny if I wasn't so pissed.

"I didn't 'get stuck' with them. You stuck me with them. What the hell, Edward? Why did you drag me to this dinner as your date and then not tell them we're dating?"

He shakes his head. "I don't know. I'm fixing it. Right now," he says firmly, leaning down to kiss me and then grabbing me by the hand and pulling me along with him to the ballroom.

When we get back inside, everyone has taken their seats. We find the table for Edward's law firm, but the two empty seats remaining are not beside each other. One of the empty seats is in between Felix and Caius. They both stand and look at me expectantly.

"Felix, would you mind scooting down a chair? I would really like to sit by my date for dinner," Edward says, letting go of my hand and putting his arm around my waist, or more accurately around my ribcage, so that his fingers are practically grazing the underside of my left breast.

Felix smiles and nods understandingly. "Of course, Edward. I'll move," he says. "No wonder you were so adamant about not being an old bachelor," he says quietly so only Edward and I can hear. "Can't say I blame you there, son." He pats Edward's shoulder and holds his vacated chair out for me.

Edward pulls me closer for a second before letting me go so I can sit down. I notice as I'm sitting that Victoria is at the table right next to us and is glaring at me. I smirk slyly before I can stop myself. When Edward sits down, he puts his arm across the back of my chair and leans over to speak to me.

"Bella, I'm sorry. I'm an idiot," he says quietly, close to my ear.

"Yes, you are," I answer, turning my head to look at him. "Plan on making it up to me…later."

"Oh, I will. Wait. Are you going to torture me the rest of the night now to punish me?"

"Probably," I answer, chuckling softly. I pull his head close so I can whisper to him. "Don't think you're getting off the hook this easily, hotshot. You will pay for leaving me to fight off Caius on my own."

"Anything you want," he says, pulling back to look in my eyes.

"Well, that certainly gives me a lot to think about," I say, smiling at him. "Your girlfriend is giving me the evil eye."

"My girlfriend is sitting next to me. I don't know who you're talking about," he says.

"Okay, ex-girlfriend," I correct, rolling my eyes.

"She was never really my girlfriend," he says.

I sigh, exasperated. "Okay, you're getting hung up on one word instead of listening to the whole sentence. Is she going to try to fight me for you? I mean, I can hit pretty hard but she has some long fingernails. I really don't want to get scratched," I say quietly.

He laughs and leans over to whisper again, "I love you, you bad-ass."

"Right back at ya," I say, reaching over to pat his leg under the table.

Caius says something to Edward then and Edward answers something about Seattle and weekends, but I can't make out every word. But I hear it plainly when Caius calls him a sneaky little bastard and laughs, though.

Edward keeps his arm around my chair for most of dinner, even scooting closer a couple of times. I look at him and shake my head several times, but he just grins at me. I have a clear view of Victoria from my chair and she continues to shoot icy glares in my direction.

"She's starting to seriously piss me off," I say quietly.

"She loves to stir shit, Bella. Ignore her," he says.

"I'm going to the ladies' room," I say. Edward stands to pull my chair back and let me out, reaching for my hand and squeezing it as I pass him.

When I'm washing my hands in the bathroom, she comes in…right on cue. I knew she'd follow me. She leans against the other end of the long vanity and glares at me again.

"I'm sorry. We haven't met. I'm Bella. You're Victoria, right?" I ask. I'm very civilized when meeting skanks for the first time.

"I should warn you about Edward," she says icily.

"Really? Warn me about what?"

"He's emotionally stunted. I dated him for a year and he never said he loved me. Some girl way back in high school scarred him so badly that he's not capable of loving anyone," she says.

I start to laugh and raise my hand to shoulder level. "High school girl who scarred him, present and accounted for," I say. "I think he's healing nicely though. In fact, he's even worked his way up to saying those three little words. Maybe he wasn't the problem in your relationship." Still civilized…mostly.

Her face turns completely red and she turns to stomp out of the bathroom. I laugh and reapply my lipstick before heading out. When I get into the hallway, Victoria has Edward backed up against the wall, pointing her finger in his chest. Oh, hell no. She will not be hitting my boyfriend tonight.

I stalk up to them and step one foot in front of Edward, trying to get between them.

"Stay out of this. This is between me and Edward," she says to me through gritted teeth.

"It may be between you two, but I know him. He won't hit you back. I will. So if you're going to hit him – again – you'll have to go through me," I say back. "And you look pretty scrappy, but I should let you know that my father is a cop, so I've had every possible self-defense class. I know how to break noses and fingers…I can damage your larynx or your kneecap. You might want to think twice about trying to hit my boyfriend…or me."

"Edward, I'm losing respect for you….first you let Lucy fight your battles and now your girlfriend? Not very masculine, are you?" Victoria asks snottily.

I feel his chest rumble behind me as he laughs. "I'm not fighting with you Victoria. You're the one who came out to the hallway screeching at me. If you choose to start a fight, I'm absolutely going to let my girlfriend kick your ass. In fact, it's so hot that she's willing to that I'm even more in love with her than I was when we got here tonight," he says, putting an arm around my waist from behind.

"Thank you, SG," I say, never taking my eyes off Victoria.

"No, thank you, baby," he answers.

"You two are juvenile and disgusting," Victoria spits and then turns and walks away.

We both laugh and I turn in his arms to face him. He spins us so that my back is pressed against the wall and kisses me hungrily.

"I wasn't kidding about that being hot, baby," he says. "I do feel a little emasculated, though, that you were the one who scared her off."

"Sweetie, I told you I would protect you from her, remember? She's just a bully, picking on you because she knows you'd never hit a girl," I say, pulling him to me to kiss him again. "I'm not letting some skank punch you," I smile at him.

"Damn, I wish this thing was over. I need you right now," he groans against my lips, sliding one hand down to my ass.

"Come on, hotshot. Let's go back in and continue to torment her," I say, laughing.

"There's that mean streak again. Maybe I should call you Rocky. What? You don't like that? You have a zillion nicknames for me," he complains. I raise one eyebrow at him and shake my head.

"I don't like Rocky. Keep thinking," I say smirking at him and taking his hand to walk back into the room.

"How about Darla? You know, from the Little Rascals? She was cute and she knew how to get her way every time," he offers.

"Does that make you Alfalfa?" I laugh. "Now that you mention it, your hair does stick up in the craziest ways."

"Okay, Darla's out," he laughs. "How about Daphne from Scooby Doo? She was hot."

"Boy, my old therapist would have a field day with the fact that you think a cartoon character is hot," I say, smiling up at him. "That's a little weird."

"MaryAnn from Gilligan's Island?"

I tilt my head, pretending to think it over. "Uh, no. Too wimpy."

"So tougher than MaryAnn but not as tough as Rocky," he muses.

"No, tougher than MaryAnn and not as dumb and pugilistic as Rocky," I answer.

"I'm running out of ideas here, Bella," he says, frowning.

"Baby, it'll come to you one day. Don't rush it," I say pinching his cheek until he smiles.

****

We get back to the table just in time. Caius is being introduced. Edward scoots his chair right up to mine and holds my hand. Victoria is ignoring us for the moment, thank goodness. I meant what I said…I really could break her nose if I wanted to…if I had to. But girl fights are definitely not classy…and I really fucking love this dress and don't want it ruined.

Caius' speech is boring me. I'm not really listening. I'm thinking of how I'm going to make Edward pay for the abandonment at the start of the evening. He's not helping because every time we break for applause, he whispers something dirty he wants us to do in my ear, making me blush…and making Lily applaud along with the audience.

"Let's go find a janitor's closet when the speech is over. Or an empty stairwell," he whispers. I continue applauding and smiling and shake my head.

"Please, Bella. I need to see what's under that dress," he says as the applause dies down. He takes my hand again when I stop clapping and holds it between his, stroking the back of my hand lightly, pushing his finger seductively into the V between my index and middle finger over and over. I purse my lips and look sideways at him while shaking my head again.

He puts one arm around my shoulder and starts spelling things out on my skin.

P L E A S E

I shake my head.

I L O V E Y O U

I smile, but still shake my head.

More applause, so he leans close again. "Baby, I'll do anything," he says hoarsely.

"You're not paying attention to the speech," I scold.

"I can't think straight. I can only think about you. And about you making me pay," he says.

"You are such an ass! Are you seriously thinking your payment is going to be something sexual? How is that paying for you?" I ask, laughing.

"What are you going to make me do?"

"I don't know yet…sing karaoke, tell Scary Emma what you did….Disneyland with my kids."

He brightens and says excitedly, "Let's take them to Disneyland. I'm serious. Not even for my payment. Why don't you guys come for Labor Day?" His face is all lit up like a little kid. Who could say no to that?

"Okay, we'll come," I answer, smiling and reaching up to touch his face.

"Good. Now back to my punishment….please don't make me tell Emma what I did," he says, putting on his best pout. I laugh as the applause dies down and settle into his side when he puts his arm back around me.

He spells out words on my back again…rooftop, elevator, car. I continue to shake my head slightly at each suggestion.

B E A C H

Before I can stop myself, I quickly turn to look at him. He raises his eyebrows, knowing he's hit paydirt. He smirks, even though I'm shaking my head now.

At the next applause break, he leans over and whispers, "We are out of here as soon as this speech is over."

"No way," I whisper back. "I'm not doing anything with you at the beach. We'll get caught."

"No, we won't. I'll protect you," he says.

"Absolutely not. I'm not sure I'm sleeping with you at all tonight, hotshot," I say.

"What?" he looks stricken.

"I think you're too hung up on sex," I laugh. "Maybe we'll just cuddle."

As the applause dies down, he smiles at me and shrugs like he doesn't care…or doesn't believe me. Yeah, I'm pretty much on him anytime we're in the same bed. In my defense, I have pointed out to him that five years is a long time to go without sex.

I finish my glass of wine as Caius wraps up his speech and we all applaud again when he's done. I honestly couldn't even tell you what he was talking about, but we all congratulate him when he comes back to the table. People are starting to get up from their tables and mingle.

"Let's say our goodbyes," Edward leans close to say. "It's our last night."

"What about our son?" I ask, then laugh when Edward looks at me all panicky. "Eric?"

He laughs and says, "I thought maybe you forgot to tell me something…and you drank a shitload of wine tonight. Let's go see if he wants to ride with us."

He doesn't. He's busy following some blonde around. We say our goodnights to everyone and I promise Caius that I will look at my calendar and call him to set up a meeting. He kisses my cheek and shakes Edward's hand, leaning close to say something in his ear that makes Edward smile.

On the way back to Edward's, he brings up Aro and Heidi, telling me that we are invited for coffee at their condo before I have to go home tomorrow. I squeal and lean over to kiss his cheek…and briefly reconsider my no sex on the beach edict. But by the time we get inside his apartment, we are both yawning.

"Fuck. Have we reached the point in our relationship where we come home from a night out and just go to sleep? After only six weeks?" he asks, as I flop down on the couch, stifling another big yawn.

"No, baby. I think after six weeks we've reached the point where all the sex we're having when we're together has completely worn us out," I answer, holding out a hand to him. He sits down beside me and I loosen his tie to pull it over his head, then unbutton his shirt so I can rest my head against his bare chest. I press a kiss against it and sigh. We sit that way for several minutes, his fingers absently stroking up and down my arm. I yawn again.

"Let's go to bed. But, Bella? Someday…you and me…on the beach," he says.

"Okay, Sex God. We'll discuss it," I answer chuckling.

"Okay. Right now I just want to go to bed and sleep with you wrapped around me," he says.

"Done," I answer.

****

As I pack in the morning, I'm kind of moody. Edward hovers, watching me, hugging and kissing me repeatedly. Finally, I glare at him and he has the nerve to laugh at me before kissing me again and then leaving the room.

We drive to Heidi and Aro's in silence.

"Baby, are you mad at me?" he finally asks.

I sigh. "No, I think it's PMS or something. I just feel off this morning."

"You would feel better if we had gone to the beach last night," he jokes.

"Not likely. I'd be grouchy and have sand stuck…places," I say sullenly, but finally giggle a little after he laughs and reaches over to rub my leg and take my hand.

Our time with Heidi and Aro cheers me up, but is over too quickly. They are coming to Seattle for Jake's wedding, though, so I'll get to see them in less than a month. I hug them both goodbye and clutch Edward's hand tightly as we leave.

"Are you okay?" he asks, looking at me with concern.

"I just feel kind of light headed….and a little nauseous," I say, as he opens the passenger door of his car for me.

He turns to me when he gets in. "Do you think you could be pregnant?" he asks, looking at me seriously.

"I'm grouchy and nauseous one morning and you think I'm pregnant?" I ask, half amused, half pissed off.

"Well, Alice was visiting me when she figured out she was pregnant with Paloma…she was acting just like this," he says defensively.

"Baby, I'm pretty sure that I'm not, but I'll let you know, okay?" I ask, looking at him and taking his hand.

"You don't look good….I mean you don't have any color," he says.

"I think I might be getting sick…I'm sorry, I've probably exposed you," I say. I just want to get home and get in my bed.

"I'm sorry you have to go back. I wish I could put you back in my bed and take care of you," he says, starting the car and heading toward the airport where Jake and Nessie are meeting us.

He insists on kissing me goodbye even though I'm pretty sure by this point that I'm coming down with something. On the plane, I have chills and I'm feverish by the time we get to Seattle. Jake drives me home with Nessie following and I go straight to bed.

When Edward calls later that evening, I make Sophie talk to him and tell him that I'm sick, but alive.

"Seriously? Okay, BRB," she says into the phone. She comes to the side of the bed where I crack one eye open. "Edward wants me to take your temperature," she says, rolling her eyes. I shake my head no.

"Edward? She says no…..Mom, Edward wants to speak to you," she says, holding the phone to my ear.

"Sweetheart, how sick are you? Should I call Angela or your mom to come over?" he asks quietly.

"No," I croak, then bat the phone away and turn over. Sophie laughs.

"I think she's done talking, Edward…..yes, she took some medicine earlier…..no, she'll get mad if I call Grandma……yes, we ate dinner……._I_ did……macaroni and cheese, jeez. Are you the dinner po po?" she asks. I want to giggle, but I turn over and tell her to apologize for speaking that way to him. "Sorry, Edward, my mom says that was rude. He's laughing, Mom. Yes, I know….garage doors are already down….I'll check the doors, Michael's an idiot. He won't know if they're locked or not…..He's going to call you in the morning, Mom, ok?.....she nodded……I'm not telling her that……ew, fine! Mom, Edward loves you and he wants you to call him if you need anything…..she nodded……you two are gross……bye, Edward." She makes a little gagging noise for effect as she sets the phone back on my nightstand.

"Thanks, Sophie," I whisper.

"Do you love him too, Mom?" she asks quietly. I nod. "That's good. He makes you happy." That's the last thing I hear before I drift off to sleep.


	21. Chapter 21

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight....blah blah blah....you know the drill  
And I'm grouchy because I haven't had chocolate at all during Lent.....  
I will be knocking down my not-so-small children Easter morning  
To get the yummies :)**

********

**Save me  
****Somebody take my hand, and lead me  
****Slow me down  
****Don't let love pass me by  
****Just show me how  
****'Cause I'm ready to fall**

********

I hear my phone vibrating on the nightstand and reach over to grab it. It's 7:30 Monday morning, which means that I have been asleep for almost 11 hours.

"Hello," I croak. My voice sounds like Angela's, husky and hoarse.

"Hello, sexy. How are you feeling?" Edward asks.

"Okay."

"Really? Because you sound horrible," he laughs.

"I'm fine," I answer tersely.

"You're testy. Do you still have a fever?"

"I don't know," I answer…which is a lie. I can tell that I still do.

"Can I call your mom now?" he asks.

"No way."

"Do you not want to talk?"

"Not really," I answer, testy again.

"Okay, Bella. I'll call you later. Go back to sleep. I love you," he says.

"You, too," I say, feeling a little guilty for being mean…but I really do feel like complete shit.

Sophie comes in to bring me orange juice. Chase peeks around the door, looking anxiously at me, biting his lower lip the same way I do when something is bothering me.

"Mommy, are you very sick?" he asks. Uh-oh. He only calls me mommy when he's really scared or really wants something.

"It's probably just a virus, buddy. I'll be better in a couple of days," I answer, trying to smile at him.

"You're going to get better, though, right? You're not going to die?" he asks. I close my eyes and swallow the lump in my throat.

"No, baby. I'm not going to die. I'm going to be just fine," I answer, looking in his eyes. Every time I think we're past the obsession with death the kids had right after Marcus passed away, it rears its head again. I am not even sure how much he remembers about Marcus' illness, but judging by the look on his face, he remembers his daddy being very sick in this room….and never getting better.

"Promise?" he asks quietly.

"Chase, I promise you that I am not going to die from this," I answer. He nods and disappears back out the door.

"I'll talk to him," Sophie says, rolling her eyes. "I already told him you weren't going to die."

"Thanks, Soph. Let me know when Liz gets here," I say and turn over to go back to sleep.

****

"Hey, beautiful. Wake up. It's time to go to the doctor."

I hear his voice from far away and am disoriented for a moment. Am I still in LA? I struggle to get my eyes open and I feel the bed beside me dip as someone sits down on it.

"Bella, baby, wake up," his voice says again. I frown and finally get my eyes to flutter open. The greenest eyes are looking right back at me. He smiles at me. I continue to frown at him.

"What are you doing here?" I ask grouchily.

He laughs before he answers. "You are really in a mood today, aren't you? I came to take care of you. Sophie said she thought you were worse this morning and you still wouldn't let her call anyone."

"Oh, really? And when did Sophie tell you all this?" I ask through gritted teeth, closing my eyes again. Why won't he just let me sleep today?

"Right after I talked to you this morning. She took your phone and called me back to tell me she was worried about you, so I figured I'd better get up here and see for myself what was going on," he answers.

"And I'm damn glad he did. Why didn't you call us last night, Bells?" my dad says from the doorway.

"Oh my god, you brought reinforcements," I groan. They both laugh. Laughing at Bella is not a good move given Bella's current mood. Bella's getting angry. Why is Bella thinking in the third person? Bella doesn't know.

"Come on, sunshine. Get dressed. We're going to the doctor," Edward says, standing back up.

"No," I answer sharply. More laughter. All right, I might have sounded like a two-year-old when I replied in that tone.

"Mom, please go to the doctor. You would make me go if I was the one sick," Sophie chimes in from beside my father. Jesus, they called a freaking family meeting about this. And they brought the big guns. Why can kids get parents to do stuff they otherwise wouldn't?

"She's right, Bella. And as _your_ mother, I'm here to make you go," my mom says.

"Fine! Everybody out so I can get dressed," I huff, throwing off the covers and standing up…then sitting back down as I realize my legs are too weak to support me. I look up at Edward, and he smiles gently down at me.

"You need some help, baby?" he asks. I nod, then look over toward the door for my mom, but my audience is gone. Edward helps me stand up and walk into the bathroom. I brush my teeth and get clean clothes, then let him help me get dressed, grumbling the whole time.

"This pisses me off, just so you know, all the bossing me around. I don't like people telling me what to do," I tell him.

"I know, baby. You can yell at me all you want as soon as you're better," he says, kissing my forehead. "Let's go. Your mom already called the doctor for you. Emma's brother, right? Actually, I think your mom said 'Emma's really cute brother' is your doctor."

"He is cute. I'm not sure why I don't go see him more often," I say, spitefully. He laughs again, standing me back up and keeping an arm around my waist to support me as we walk through the house and out to my car.

"You have a terrible attitude when you're sick," he says as he helps me into the passenger seat of my car and buckles me in.

"Because you're treating me like a five-year-old," I complain.

"Because you're acting like a five-year-old," he retorts. I glare at him and he smiles back. "But I love you anyway."

We drive in silence to the doctor's office. He tries to come back in the exam room with me, but I am having none of that. Thirty minutes later, I leave with a couple of prescriptions and my still-surly attitude. Even Emma's brother, whose bedside manner I normally love, laughed at my general rudeness and suggested I get back in bed and go to sleep before I tick off everyone who loves me. I flipped him off for that comment and told him it was too late anyway.

We pick up my meds on the way home and arrive to find that my parents and kids are gone. My mom left a note telling us they sent Liz home and went to a movie. On my bed is another note: "I changed your sheets. Take a bath before you get back in. You'll feel better. Love, Mom"

I hear water already running in my bathroom, courtesy of Doctor Edward. "Do I stink or something?" I ask, freshly pissed again.

"No, Bella."

"Are you going to give me a bath like a baby?"

"If you want me to, Bella." It's pissing me off even more that he's so patient with me.

"I don't."

"Okay. I'll just go in the other room for awhile. You call if you need anything," he says, walking toward my bedroom door.

I take my bath and put clean pajamas on and actually feel a little better…or at least fresher. Just as I'm settling back into bed, Emma knocks on the door and peeks in.

"I brought you meds, juice and your favorite soup," she says cheerily. She brings it all to me then climbs up beside me.

"Jesus, did he call everyone in fucking Seattle? Don't get too close. I have the flu," I warn her.

"No shit, Sherlock. You've also got a case of the bitchies. Your boyfriend is out there scared to death that you're not going to forgive him for taking time off work, flying up here, calling your parents and taking care of you. Fuck! What does it take to please you?" she asks, sounding like she has a case of the bitchies, too.

I glare over at her, but she's not scared of me at all. I eat the soup and take my meds while Emma flips through the tv channels, stopping briefly on some reality show about a bunch of bitchy women who live together and scream at each other. "Maybe we can get you on this show. You'd fit right in," she says, laughing at me.

"Shut up. Turn it back to the food shows," I answer, laughing with her in spite of myself.

I see Edward peek around the door, then disappear back into the hallway. "Wait! Come back," I say in my husky voice. He steps back inside the doorway and stops, his hands in his pockets, and smiles with one side of his mouth. I stand up on my weak legs and walk to him, leaning my forehead against his chest and wrapping my arms around his waist. He sighs and kisses the top of my head. "I'm sorry I've been acting like a bitch. Thanks for coming and taking care of me."

"You're welcome," he says. He puts his arms around me and hugs me back.

"Aaaaand my work here is done," Emma says, sliding past us to go out the door. "I have an actual paying job tonight, so I've got to get going. Edward, I put the rest of the soup in the fridge. It's her favorite. Make her eat."

"Yes, ma'am," he answers, still hugging me.

"Thanks, Em. Love you," I say.

"Love you, too, Bells. Edward, call me if you need another Emtervention," she laughs. Then just like a real fairy godmother, she disappears.

Edward tucks me back into bed and sits down on the other side. "Okay if I sit here?" he asks.

"If you're not scared of my germs," I answer, smiling sleepily at him.

"I'm not," he says, sitting propped up against the headboard. I hand him the remote, grab his hand to hold, mumble 'I love you' and go back to sleep.

****

"Bella, wake up for a minute. Time for more medicine," he says, stroking my cheek with his hand.

I sit up to take the pills and lie right back down. "What time is it?" I ask, groggily.

"A little after ten. Everyone's home, everyone's in bed. They're all fine and Chase isn't nearly as worried as he was before you went to the doctor," he answers.

"He freaked out, huh?"

"Understandably. He'll be fine when you're better in a couple of days. Tomorrow Emma's going to come for a couple of hours so I can take the kids to do something, okay?"

"I don't need a babysitter," I grumble.

"I know you don't, but it will ease my mind if I know someone's here with you. Please? We already told Liz to take the week off," he explains.

I sigh. I knew he'd lay the guilt trip on me. "At least you're not siccing my parents on me again."

"I thought I was going to have to sic _my_ parents on you, too, to get you to the doctor today," he laughs, sitting in the chair near my bed.

"Oh, no! I'm supposed to have lunch with Esme and Rosalie on Wednesday," I groan.

"I know. I already told my mom you had to cancel. What? Don't glare at me. I didn't hack into your calendar or anything. I called my mom to tell her I was up here for the week and she mentioned it. If you're better by Friday, she's invited all of us to Forks for the day. She wants to meet the kids," he says.

"Why Friday?"

"Because your parents are taking the kids to the Mariners game Saturday, remember? Charlie told me all about it this afternoon. He can't wait."

"Oh yeah. I had a surprise for you….no kids at home and Angela and Ben are going to Portland this weekend. You know what that means, right?" I say grinning as I close my eyes.

"Naked cereal on Sunday morning?" he asks.

"Yep."

"Okay, princess. Go back to sleep," he says.

"Edward?"

"Yeah?"

"I don't like princess, either. Keep trying," I say, still smiling with my eyes closed.

"Okay," he says with a chuckle.

****

I sleep for most of Tuesday and Wednesday. Edward runs the kids all over the place: they play mini golf, hike, bike ride and watch movies. They all tell me that they are having fun and really like Edward….and I haven't even told them about Disneyland yet.

Wednesday evening, I hear shouting out in the pool and get up to look out the window. Edward, Angela and Ben are playing volleyball against the kids. I change out of my pajamas and into sweats and a t-shirt and go outside to watch.

"Look who's up!" Angela says when she sees me coming out the back door.

"Time out," Sophie calls.

"Mom!" Chase says, clearly relieved that I've left the bedroom. I smile as big as I can back at him and wave.

Edward gets out of the pool and lays out a beach towel on a chaise for me, holding my arm to steady me as I sit down and then lean back. I smile up at him and thank him and he bends down to kiss my forehead.

"You need anything?" he asks. I shake my head. "Okay, then I've got to get back to the game. You're right about the little one….he loves smack talk." He quickly kisses my lips then walks back to the pool.

"Time in," Sophie announces, making me smile. She is always in charge…or thinks she is, anyway. Just like me, I muse.

I watch the rest of the game with a smile on my face. The adults lose – I think they throw the game. Edward and Ben are both pretty athletic and can't really be missing that many shots. Angela comes to sit beside me when she gets out, leaving the guys to put away the net.

"How ya feeling, Bells?" she asks.

"So much better. Still weak, though," I answer distractedly. I'm busy watching Edward neatly fold the net and put it away.

"You're looking at Edward like you want a piece of that pie. That's a good sign," she laughs. I laugh, too. She's right. I was definitely thinking impure thoughts, for the first time in a few days. "I tried to bring you a hot toddy Monday night, but Edward wouldn't let me. He said you'd been punished enough already. Pretty protective of you and the kids, isn't he?" she asks quietly.

"Yes, he is," I answer, looking at her now. "He told me he loves me last weekend." I smile.

"Like you didn't already know that. It's nice to hear, though, isn't it?" she smiles back at me.

I look over to where he's sitting now on the edge of the pool, tossing a football to each of my kids as they jump off the diving board, trying to catch it in midair. "They have so much fun with him," I say, mostly to myself, but I know Ang hears me.

"He plays with them, Bells. Marcus was a good father and a good provider, but he never played with them."

"Angela, don't start," I say brusquely.

"Bella, I worked for Marcus. I liked and respected him. And he loved the kids, absolutely – more than anything else. But he didn't know how to play…how to get down to their level. Edward does. That's all I'm saying. It was just an observation, not a judgment."

"I know…and you're right, and I feel guilty for even thinking it."

"Don't. You and the kids got dealt a crappy hand a few years ago….this is the universe making up for it. Just enjoy….and please don't point out how much that sounded like MK," she laughs as she stands up. "I'm going home. Air kiss." She leans down but keeps her distance and kisses into the space on both sides of my face.

We all go in a few minutes later and I sit at the kitchen counter as Edward makes ice cream sundaes for the kids while they shower.

"I never knew you had so many hidden talents. If this lawyer thing doesn't work out for you, you can definitely be a manny," I say, laughing a little.

"Oh, no. Why do I feel another nickname coming on?" he groans.

"Michael doesn't like chocolate ice cream," I tell him as he gets out all the ice cream flavors and bowls.

"I know. He likes strawberry," Edward answers.

"Chase likes nothing but chocolate ice cream," I laugh.

"I know. He told me his two favorite food groups are sugar and chocolate. He's covered," he answers from inside the walk-in pantry. He comes back out with his hands full of various toppings.

"Sophie likes –," I start.

"Vanilla with chocolate syrup, but not chocolate ice cream."

"Even though she'll stir it all together and make what is essentially chocolate ice cream out of it. How do you know all this?"

"I asked them. They'll tell me stuff, you know, if I just ask," he says raising his eyebrows at me. I stifle the flash of jealousy I momentarily feel, knowing it's irrational…knowing it's good for the kids to have a man who cares about them in their lives…knowing it's good for Edward to build independent relationships with them if our relationship is going to last. Still, I'm not used to sharing them on this level…or him, for that matter.

"What kind of ice cream do I like?" I ask, trying to stump him.

"Well, that's a loaded question. The only kind I've seen you really _not_ like is Cherry Garcia. But I bet your favorite is still chocolate chip, on a sugar cone."

"You remember that?"

He leans across the counter to say quietly, "I remember a lot of things. I remember you putting caramel sauce in some very interesting places that weekend my parents were out of town, too."

"Oh my god, this isn't fair. I'm getting in the mood for something that we can't do right now. I'm probably still contagious," I groan.

"You want me to make you a sundae to cool you down?" he asks, smirking at me.

"No, manny. I can take care of myself," I say, smirking back.

"You wouldn't."

"I would," I laugh, getting up from the counter and walking around to stand next to him. "I'm going back to bed. Maybe we should pick up some of that caramel sauce for Saturday, though. I should be good to go by then."

I laugh when I hear Edward muttering under his breath as the boys come racing down the back stairs to the kitchen. They are impressed with manny's sundae-making abilities too.

"Can we watch tv in your room before bed, Mom?" Chase asks.

"Absolutely, buddy. Come on back when you're done," I tell him. Then I turn to Edward. "You come, too, manny. Wish I was well enough to give you a hand…or more."

He's blushing a little as he answers me. "I can take care of myself, too, you know. But I'd rather take care of you."

"Saturday?" I ask, feeling weak-kneed, but not from the flu this time.

"Saturday," he answers, winking at me. "Go to bed. We'll hang out with you when we're done eating."

****

Thursday morning I feel almost normal. Edward and I stand at the kitchen island and argue about whether or not to go to Forks on Friday. I want to go, but he thinks it's too much too soon.

"What if we invite them all here Saturday? They could come for lunch and hang out for awhile. Your parents can come, too, and then everyone can leave and we'll be alone," he suggests.

I concede. "That sounds reasonable. I just hate for your whole family to spend the day on the road."

"We'll go there next time. Should I call my mom?" he asks hopefully. I nod. "Thank you for not being stubborn about this," he says, kissing me.

"You said that like it's a miracle or something. Am I so difficult to get along with?" I ask.

"Not as long as you get your way," he answers, laughing. I laugh with him because I know that's basically true. "I'm glad you're better, but you still need to rest."

"Ugh! I can't stay in bed any longer," I complain. "I'm moving to the couch today. Where are the kids?"

"Getting dressed. Your dad's taking them to the arcade for a couple of hours this morning."

"Are you going, too?" I ask.

"No, I have to work a little. Am I bugging you? You want me to go somewhere for awhile?" he asks, searching my face with his eyes.

"No, I was hoping you were staying."

"Let's get you settled on the couch and when the kids leave, I'll come work in there if my typing won't bother you. I have to finish a brief and send it to Charlotte this morning," he says, pulling me to him and rubbing my back.

"Perfect. Edward, thank you so much for taking care of me…and the kids…this week. I hate asking for help, but I am so glad you came," I tell him.

"Bella, I keep telling you, you're not on your own anymore. I want to help you any way I can…whatever you need."

My dad comes in the door just then, smiling when he sees me up and around.

"Looking better and better, Bells," he says to me. "Looks like Edward's doing a good job taking care of you and the kids."

"Yep, he is." I say, keeping an arm around him even though he's trying to step away. "You guys are spoiling the rugrats this week, though. They're going to want me to be sick more often." Edward finally gives up trying to get away from me.

On cue, they come down and barely say goodbye to Edward and me in their haste to leave with grandpa.

"Ahhh, I love them, but sometimes the silence is so good when they're gone," I say when they are out the door. "They have to be making you crazy. I know you're used to your own space."

"Here's what I've discovered this week, Bella. My own space is too quiet and boring. I like the chaos that comes with the kids. And they're damn funny, too, just like their mother," he says, kissing me. "You go sit. I'll be there in a minute."

I lie on the couch not reading the book in my hand and he sits on the floor in front of me with his laptop on the coffee table. I play with his hair while he works, but he's not easily distracted today. Eventually, the soft clicking of his keyboard lulls me to sleep.

****

Saturday dawns sunny and warm, thank goodness. I put the kids to work sweeping outside and cleaning the pool with Edward, while I start cooking. My parents come early to help, too.

"Mom, I'm a nervous wreck. Why did I agree to this?" I whisper to her as we stand at the kitchen counter peeling potatoes.

"Because you love him. Bella, it's going to be fine. And I have to say, I'm so impressed with how Edward took charge this week. He really stepped in to take care of you and the kids. He's a good one, sweetie."

"I know. And I wasn't very nice to him when he got here," I laugh. "He should have turned tail and run…but he didn't."

"And he won't, Bella. I can see it in his eyes. You are it for him," she says, smiling at me.

"Mom, don't make me cry while I'm cooking," I scold and we both laugh. "It's too soon to say stuff like that anyway."

"Who's making my baby cry?" my dad asks as he walks in the back door.

"You're crying? What's wrong, sweetheart?" Edward says worriedly, coming in right after my dad.

I groan and roll my eyes. "No one's crying. Jeez, you're like a bunch of mother hens," I complain, laughing.

I send Edward and my dad to load drinks into the coolers and ice them down. I watch them through the window and laugh out loud when Michael and Chase come to help, then put ice down the back of Edward's and my dad's shirts. Edward chases and catches both of them and my dad runs over with both hands full of ice to repay the boys.

As if he knows I'm watching, Edward turns around to look back through the window at me. He crooked-smiles at me and I smile back and thank god that I'm not contagious anymore because I am getting me a piece of that pie tonight.

****

The Cullen caravan arrives right on time. Alice comes straight for me and hugs me. I haven't seen her since the day she came to my office, but we've talked on the phone a couple of times and have emailed regularly. She still wants me to work on getting Edward to move back and I still refuse to discuss Edward with her at all.

"I didn't know Charlie was going to be here!" she exclaims when she sees my dad. She lets go of me and goes to greet my dad. She was his favorite friend of mine during high school and she knew it…and we exploited it like crazy to get me more time with her – and Edward. Edward is making introductions between the kids and trying to quickly explain to my mom who goes with whom in his family. It's complete pandemonium for several minutes, then the kids all run off to play ball in the driveway.

"Finally," Rose laughs. "It sounded like there were 100 kids in here, not seven."

"Eight," I correct her as I lure Paloma away from Jasper with my shiny necklace. I make the rounds of the Cullens, giving one-armed hugs because I refuse to let Paloma go. My mom and Esme take over kitchen duty, telling me to sit on the patio with everyone else. I feel guilty for a moment, but then get lost in girl talk with Rose and Alice.

After awhile, the kids come racing around back looking for Emmett. They have found the marshmallow guns and want to have a war. Edward and Emmett divvy up the boys and load up the guns. The rest of us gather on the front porch to watch them and, a few minutes in, Sophie comes running from the side of the house, launches water balloons at Edward and Emmett and then all the boys turn their weapons on the now-soaked adults. Edward and Emmett surrender and are subjected to quite a bit of taunting, most of it from Chase.

"Chase DiClemente, knock it off," I call from the porch.

"What, Mom? All I said is they are old and slow. And I got the skills to pay the bills," he adds, running from Edward and laughing. Edward catches him and slings Chase up over his shoulder, spinning around and then setting him back down to watch him stumble drunkenly around, both of them laughing. Without realizing I'm doing it, I reach my right hand up and rub it over my heart.

Esme is standing beside me and she puts an arm around my waist. "I know how you feel, Bella. No matter how old they get, sometimes you're just the mother of a son and seeing him so happy makes your heart feel like it will burst," she says softly. I look at her and smile while she gives me a little extra squeeze.

Edward turns to walk toward us, still smiling, while Chase walks behind him and Edward pretends to look for him and not see him.

"Hey, ma, you seen an annoying little kid, about so tall, that likes to trash talk?" he asks Esme. Chase shakes his head no at us from behind Edward's back and giggles.

"No, son. You'll have to keep looking," she says.

"No more looking for me…I found what I was looking for," he answers, then turns quickly to catch Chase. "Hey, buddy, let's go eat," he says, letting Chase climb up him to ride piggyback to the backyard.

****

After we eat, Alice volunteers to help me clean up the kitchen. I know she just wants to get me alone to hound me about Edward.

"So, Bella, how are things with you and Edward?" she asks innocently.

"Things are good. And that is all I'm saying to you. We have an agreement, remember? We aren't discussing him and you are buttingthefuckout," I remind her, laughing.

"I know, but I really need my brother back up here. I know he'll come if you ask him," she pleads.

"Alice, I would never ask your brother to move up here," I state firmly. "I've already told you that."

"Oh, fine. I'll get Jasper to work on him, then. Maybe I'll wait 'til the holidays. That's when he hates to be away the most," she says, thinking out loud. Smiling, I shake my head at her and change the subject.

Later, I'm standing near the edge of the pool watching the kids' cannonball contest when Edward comes up beside me.

"I think it's a success," Edward says, wrapping his arms around me. "Everyone's getting along."

"It's amazing how quickly the boys all joined forces against you and Emmett in the marshmallow war," I laugh. He bends down to kiss me. "Edward, everyone's out here…our parents are watching…we'll gross the kids out."

"I don't care if the kids are grossed out and I'm pretty sure our parents know we kiss."

"Guess what I got at the store," I say, pulling back slightly to look in his eyes.

"Ohmygod, if you're going to tell me right now that you bought caramel sauce when you know it's going to be hours before I'll get to taste….baby, how could you?" he laughs against my lips.

"I got cereal, too," I say making him lean back and laugh before he presses his lips to mine lingeringly again.

"You two need to cool off," Emmett says from close by…too close by. Edward and I both stiffen, but it's too late.

"Pull him in with us," Edward says and we both try to grab Emmett as he shoves us in the pool. We aren't fast enough to get him, but Rose is. When I come to the surface, Emmet is still under and Rose is bent at the waist, laughing hysterically on the side. Edward comes up beside me and kisses me again before swimming over to dunk his laughing big brother.

I climb out the side and drip my way over to the table where Esme and my mom are sitting. My mom hands me a towel and I wrap it around myself before I sit down.

"Bella, this has been a great afternoon. Thank you for inviting us. I was just telling your mom how glad I am that you're back in all of our lives, but especially Edward's. You and your children have been so good for him. Every time he calls, he sounds more and more like the boy I raised and less like the cityslick lawyer that Caius fellow from his office wanted him to become."

I don't know how to respond to that so I just thank her.

"And I have to apologize for my other son, who I clearly did not teach well enough that it's not nice to push people into pools," she laughs.

"That's all right. I got him, Esme," Rosalie says, sitting down with us. Emmett is out of the pool now and approaching our table. "Don't even think it, Cullen. You're in enough trouble as it is," she says, glancing toward him.

"I was just going to kiss you, Rosie," he says innocently

"Emmett, if you throw me in, I'm riding back home with your parents," she threatens.

"Is that supposed to be a deterrent?" he laughs and we all join in, even Rosalie. "Come on, Edward, help me toss her in."

"Not a chance, Em. She barely tolerates my presence as it is," Edward laughs, walking up behind my chair and resting his hands on my shoulders.

"I tolerate you a lot better now that you brought Bella back. And her kids….seriously, that Sophie? Completely adorable. She's gonna push you even farther than we used to push our parents, Bella."

I groan. "I know. I can see it coming already. She'll be a handful." Edward squeezes my shoulders and kisses the top of my head.

"You'll get through it. Look how well Charlie did," he remarks.

"That's because Charlie didn't know half the stuff we were doing," Alice pipes up, pulling up a chair to sit beside me.

"I didn't want to know. I liked to remain blissfully ignorant," my dad laughs. I laugh with him and look at my mom beside me. I know she feels guilty whenever we talk about my late teen years. She wasn't around much then. I talked to her every week, but I only saw her about three times a year from the time I was 16 until Marcus got sick when I was 29. She's apologized numerous times to me for 'not being there' during my teens and for shipping me off to live with my dad. I wouldn't trade my years in Forks for anything, but I've never told her that because I don't want to hurt her feelings. I reach over to grab her hand and hold it tightly.

"My mom says Sophie acts just like I did when I was ten," I say.

"So, she's clearly going to grow up to be perfect," Edward says. I roll my eyes and Rose acts like she's going to throw up, but my mom and Esme both look at him like he just took off barefoot walking across the water.

"Don't encourage him," I say to them, squeezing my mom's hand again.

"What's the matter, Eddie? Afraid you're not going to get any tonight?" Rosalie asks, smirking at Edward and trying not to laugh.

"Rose!" Esme and Alice both exclaim.

"Rosalie, my parents are sitting here," I groan, putting my hands over my face.

"Yeah, sitting here laughing. We're all adults," she continues to laugh.

"Rose, even after this many years, I'm still amazed sometimes at the lack of censor between your brain and your mouth," Carlisle muses.

I take my hands down from my face and lean my head back to look up at Edward, pulling on his hands until he bends down. "I think it's time for Rose to get wet," I say quietly. He nods at me then looks up at Emmett. Across the table, Rose is still distracted and laughing. Emmett gets a hold of her upper body and Edward grabs her legs and they carry her to the side of the pool.

"Bella, I know this was your call," she says as she struggles to get away. At least she sounds amused, not pissed. "You know what they say about payback. It's a –," she yells, but is cut off when she hits the water. She's laughing as she stands up in the shallow water, though, and we all applaud for her. She behaves for the rest of the afternoon and hugs me again as they're leaving.

"Bella, I know I give you two a hard time, but I am really happy that things are going so well with you and Edward," she says.

"Thanks, Rose. I don't mind you giving me a hard time…usually," I laugh.

"I'll call you so we can reschedule lunch, okay?" she asks as she gets in the car.

"Sounds good," I reply, smiling and waving. I go car to car hugging everyone goodbye. Within twenty minutes, all of the Cullens and my parents and kids are gone. I collapse onto the couch in the hearth room, smiling.

"What are you so happy about, Bella?" Edward asks, leaning against the arched doorway from the kitchen and smiling at me.

"Today. I had fun. I know it's just your family to you, but for an only child like me, a big, loud family barbecue is a great experience."

"I had fun, too, but I'm glad I get you to myself tonight," he says walking into the room.

"You've had me to yourself every night all week," I smirk at him.

"Yes, but we've only been sleeping," he says, sitting on the edge of the couch and resting his hand on my abdomen. "And I've been sneaking back to the guest room while it's still dark out. I want to wake up with you tomorrow in the daylight."

"And eat naked cereal," I laugh.

"And eat naked cereal," he agrees and leans down to kiss me. "How are you feeling?"

"Hot and bothered."

"I meant do you feel sick at all, smartass?"

"No, doc, I think I'm fully recovered," I answer with a big smile.

He smiles back. "You think? Maybe, but I think you need a thorough examination to be sure."

"Looking forward to it," I say, pulling him down to kiss me again. I roll onto my side and scoot up against the back of the couch to make room for him to lie beside me. He puts his arms around me and slides one leg between mine.

"I was going to go pick up out back, but now I don't want to get up," he says, smiling at me.

"Ten minutes, then we'll get up," I say. He mmhmm's me and starts to kiss me…really kiss me like he hasn't in a week. After a few minutes, I have to pull my mouth away to catch my breath, so he moves to my neck while his hands get reacquainted with my ass.

"Know what?" I ask. He mumbles something against my neck that I can't understand, so I continue. "I'm really glad we still loved each other this week, even without the hot sex."

That gets his attention. He rears his head back to look at me, frowning. "You thought we only loved each other because of the sex?"

"No, I didn't think that. I'm just glad I was right," I say gently, reaching up to touch his face as I smile at him.

"Bella, sex or no sex, I love you," he says, smiling at me.

"Sex or no sex, I love you, too," I answer. I pull his face to mine and kiss him. "But I really like the sex."

"Maybe I should call you SG, too….Sex Goddess," he laughs.

"You really think I'll just let you copy a nickname for me? Come on, Cullen. Be creative."

"You don't like anything I come up with," he complains.

"I'm sorry, baby. Am I being difficult?" I ask. He nods, pouting, but his eyes are shining with the laughter he's holding in. "Maybe I should distract you." I grab the hand that he's currently resting on my hip and slide it up the front of my shirt, then move my top leg to hook it around his while I get my fingers in his hair to pull his lips back to mine.

"Are you always going to use sex to distract me and get your way?" he asks, smiling against my lips.

"Is it always going to work?" I ask, smiling back.

"Probably," he hedges.

"Probably?" I scoff.

"Definitely," he concedes.

"That's what I like to hear, SG. Now zip it and let me distract you," I say, laughing.

"Yes, ma'am," he says. "I have to do what you say because my mom taught me to respect my elders." He laughs as he moves his lips down my neck and tries to distract _me_ with the hand that's caressing my breasts.

"You'll pay for that later," I sigh, relishing the warmth of desire running through my body.

"Oh, I'm counting on it, baby."

****

A/N: So I'm completely failing at updating lately. I will really try to pick the pace back up now.  
Thanks for reading.....


	22. Chapter 22

You were better to me than I was to myself  
For me, there's you and there ain't nobody else  
I want to stop and thank you baby  
I just want to stop and thank you baby

* * *

"I don't remember it being this sticky before," Edward says reflectively.

"It was." I giggle and play with his hair, trying to separate the clumps that are stuck together. I must have had caramel sauce on my hands when I was gripping his hair while he was licking said caramel sauce off me…repeatedly. I sigh contentedly.

"Maybe I've blocked that part out," he muses. "The rest was even better than I remember, though." He kisses the skin at the side of my waist, where he collapsed a few minutes ago, his head on the bed beside my hip and the rest of his body tangled with my legs.

"Edward?"

"Yes, baby."

"I need to tell you something. I should have told you days ago…Emma's brother made me do a pregnancy test the other day before he would give me meds. It was negative. You're safe," I say teasingly, trying to sound nonchalant even though I haven't been able to say the words out loud for the last three days. I swallow around the lump in my throat. Why am I upset that I'm not pregnant with an unplanned baby? Just because it would be Edward's baby, too? Yeah, pretty much. Wow, Bella, that's a little pathetic, even for you, I chide myself.

He raises his head to look in my eyes. I'm not sure if I imagine the passing look of disappointment on his face or not. He smiles at me with one side of his mouth and nods. Leaning over me, he kisses my belly right where a baby would grow if we had made one. He traces my C-section scar with his pinky finger, then reaches for my hand, lacing our sticky fingers together.

"No excuses for you to not ride Splash Mountain next weekend then," he teases quietly, looking up at me again with his one-sided smile. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, absolutely," I say, trying to return the smile and almost succeeding. "You?"

"Yep. I could use a shower, though," he chuckles, trying to unstick our legs. "Ouch. My leg hair is stuck to your leg."

"Come on, Cullen. Toughen up," I laugh, grateful that he's trying to distract me from my moment of no-baby melancholy. "On three, you pull your way and I'll pull mine. One…two…three."

We both pull away.

"Fuck! I think half my leg hair stayed on you," he says, laughing and moaning a little.

"I think you pulled some of my skin off," I answer, chuckling, too. He's crawling up my body now, looking intently at me. I know this look. "No way, Cullen. You're not sticking yourself to me again tonight."

"Come on, Bella. It was fun," he says, pressing his chest down onto mine as he lowers his lips to mine.

I pull away to answer him. "It definitely was and I definitely want to do it again sometime, but right now I need a shower."

"Okay, let's take a shower," he says, climbing off the bed and holding a hand out to me. I take it and let him pull me up.

As soon as we're under the warm spray of water, he's on me again, kissing my neck from behind and running his hands over my wet skin.

"You're still sticky. Wash first," I laugh. I shampoo and rinse my hair and grab the bottle to pour again. "Come here." He bends his head down to me and I shampoo his hair then push him under the spray to rinse.

When he's done, he leans down to kiss me gently. "I love you," he says, pulling back slightly and reaching a hand up to cup my face.

"I love you, too," I say, smiling up at him.

"No, Bella. I mean I _really_ love you," he says, searching my eyes with his.

"I really love you, too, Edward," I answer. We kiss again then he pulls me to his chest. We stand there, holding each other tightly, for several minutes until I finally tell him I'm ready to get out.

When we're ready for bed, he helps me change the sheets, smiling at me as we remove the caramel-coated set. He takes them to the laundry room for me then climbs into bed beside me, pulling me to his side.

I snuggle in, resting my head on his shoulder and sliding one of my legs in between his.

"What are you thinking about?" he asks quietly after several minutes of silence.

"That I could get used to this…lying in bed with you at night," I say wistfully, snuggling in closer and kissing the spot where his neck and shoulder meet.

"I _am_ used to this. That's why I can't sleep for shit during the week," he answers, chuckling lightly. "It will be bad this week, for sure. We've spent nine of the last ten nights together."

"I know," I whisper. I pull on him until he turns onto his side to face me. I put my hand on the side of his face and lean in to kiss him gently. We makeout like teenagers for a long time, and eventually our hands start wandering.

"Edward, I need you…need to be close to you," I plead. He rolls me onto my back, settling between my legs and going right back to kissing me. I reach down to push his boxers off and then he stops kissing me long enough to raise up and pull his t-shirt off me. I've basically swiped one of his t-shirts every weekend he's been here, so I'm clothed by him every night we're apart.

He kisses me again and slides his hands underneath me to lift my hips toward him as he slowly pushes inside me. He keeps his hands there as he begins moving, our chests pressed together, my feet resting on his calves. We move together, apart, back together, gently…reverently.

"I love you so much," he says, dropping his head to my shoulder and sucking lightly.

"I love you, too," I answer, moving one hand from his back up to tangle in his hair.

He moves faster then and I move against him, helping myself to the friction in just the right spot. I cry out as I feel myself clench around him and he comes immediately after me, calling my name. After a few minutes, he rolls us to our sides, kissing me several times, whispering my name against my lips, saying he loves me over and over. I sit up to pull the covers over us then and we fall asleep sated, facing each other, tangled together, nothing between us.

* * *

Sunday morning, Edward and I finally get our naked cereal in the kitchen. It's not fun for one reason and one reason only: rush seats. We are both uncomfortable on the kitchen chairs and end up eating our naked cereal back in my bed. Edward is grouchy and complains the whole time because we've already eaten several things naked in my bed, but we've never eaten naked in the kitchen. His incessant whining makes me roll my eyes – a lot – and I finally put my robe on and leave the bedroom because he's irritating me with all his bitching. I know the robe will piss him off and he'll either give me the silent treatment for a while or follow me around bugging me about why I'm no longer naked.

He follows me into the living room. I knew it.

"You're just leaving?" he asks.

"Yes, Edward. I'm sorry the stupid fucking naked cereal thing didn't work out, but I'm tired of listening to you complain about it," I answer testily, turning around to face him.

"Jesus Christ, Bella, then tell me to shut up –,"

"Shut up."

"I wasn't done. I was going to say tell me to shut up, but don't just walk out on me," he says angrily.

"I'm just going into another room, not walking out on you. God, you can be so melodramatic sometimes," I say, not even trying to disguise my annoyance.

His green eyes darken instantaneously. "You want to point out all my faults? Maybe we should sit down and you can name them off for me," he says, his jaw clenched tightly.

"Great idea. Hang on, let me get my list and block off the next couple of hours," I retort, glaring at him, then turning to continue stomping away.

"Hey, block off a couple extra hours and I'll get my list of your faults, too," he calls sharply. I whip back around to re-point my glare at him. Looking intently at me with his dark green eyes, he reaches one hand up to rake through his already messy-sexy morning hair. My mouth starts to water, my breath hitches…he knows that gets to me.

"Fuck, Cullen, you don't fight fair. You know that hair thing kills me," I say in the pissiest tone I can given the fact that I'm now turned way on and can't really breathe. I swallow and bite my lower lip.

"You are so fucking hot when you're mad. If you don't stop looking at me with that one-eyebrow-up glare, I swear to God I'm fucking you against the wall," he practically growls at me.

Oh, really? My face freezes like it's been botoxed in a perma-glare. One eyebrow still cocked, check. Eyes still slightly narrowed and angry, check check. Boyfriend now stalking me as I back up against the wall, check mate. I win.

"Is that a threat or a promise, Cullen?" I ask huskily, still glaring at him. Since he's still naked, I can see that he's now affected by our fight, too.

"Both. If this is going to piss you off even more, you'd better say so now," he says, advancing on me. I take a long, lingering look down his body then back up, finally looking in his eyes. I keep my lips pursed – a leftover from my glare – but my eyes aren't glaring any longer. I lean my head back against the wall and try to stop panting.

He stops right in front of me and grabs the tie on my robe. "Nothing to say now?" he taunts as he slowly pulls the bow undone. I lick my lips and shake my head slightly, still breathing fast despite my best efforts to calm down. He leans down until our lips almost touch, keeping his eyes on mine. "Last chance," he breathes, the moist, hot air from his mouth caressing my lips. I'm tired of waiting. I tangle both hands in his hair and pull his lips to mine, kissing him angrily, hungrily, passionately. Moaning, he kisses me back just as enthusiastically, our lust fueled by the fighting.

"You really pissed me off," he grumbles, kissing along my jaw and down my neck as he pushes the robe off my shoulders; I move my arms to let it slide down my body to the floor.

"Well, you really pissed me off first," I answer, sliding my arms back up his chest and shoulders to anchor once again in his hair. I whimper as his hands circle my breasts, squeezing gently, as he sucks on the skin covering my collarbone. I tug on his hair until he moves his lips back to mine.

"Jesus, I love it when you pull my hair," he mumbles against my lips,

"I love everything you do to me," I say, gasping for air.

One of his hands strokes a path down the center of my body, from the valley between my breasts, over my navel, further down to reach between my legs. We moan into each other's mouths as he slides two fingers inside me. I pull my mouth away from his to lean my head against the wall again.

"I love your hands," I whisper, letting my eyes slide shut.

"Look at me, Bella," he whispers. I open my eyes again. This is a thing with him. He always wants my eyes open. He's smiling at me now, still pumping his fingers in and out of me. "I love you."

"I love you," I answer.

"I'm sorry I was an ass," he says quietly, circling my clit with his thumb as his other fingers continue.

"I…I'm sorry….I...was a….bitch," I say, my frequent gasps making it difficult for me to say the words. "Ohgod, please don't stop."

"Come on, baby. I know you're close. Come for me," he says, kissing me again, sucking my bottom lip into his mouth. His words, his kiss, his fingers combine to push me over the edge and I moan his name as I come.

"Hold onto me," he murmurs against my lips and I wrap my arms around his neck.

He doesn't give me any time to recover, immediately reaching around to my ass with both hands and lifting me, pressing me against the wall as he slides into me. He groans and moves his arms to hook under my knees, holding me immobile against the wall as he thrusts into me again and again, his head buried in my neck. I barely feel the second orgasm building before it bursts over me again as I cry out hoarsely.

"Fuck, Bella," he groans into my neck as he comes, then lifts his head to kiss me gently. I barely have the energy to kiss him back, but I try. He smiles against my lips like he knows exactly what he's done to me.

"Hang on, baby," he says, moving his hands back under my ass as I wrap my legs around him, then pushing away from the wall and walking over to the couch. I unwrap my legs before he sits, but stay otherwise in place, straddling him as we sit together on the couch. We are silent for a few minutes as we each catch our breath, communicating in soft kisses and gentle caresses.

Finally, I sigh and sit up a little, lifting my head from his shoulder to look at him. I drag my fingers along his jawline listening to the quiet scrape of his stubble against my skin. When I look into his eyes, they are warm and bright again, green with tiny brown and gold flecks. I smile lazily at him and he returns the grin.

"Edward?" I say quietly, barely above a whisper.

"Yeah, sweetheart," he says, stroking my cheekbone with the backs of his fingers.

"I really freaking love naked cereal day," I say. He leans his head back against the couch and laughs as I snuggle back down against his chest. He wraps his arms tightly around me and kisses the top of my head.

"Me, too, Bella. I freaking love it, too."

* * *

The kids and I fly to LA on Thursday night for our Labor Day Weekend a la Edward. He picks us up at the airport and takes us to the hotel where we have a giant ass suite; three bedrooms and bathrooms, a living room and a wet bar. The kids explore every inch of the suite, calling Edward and me several times to come look at something they discover. They really liked the bidet in the master bath until they found out what it's for. Now they like the flat screen that pops up from the credenza in the living room.

Edward stays to watch tv with us for awhile and then announces he'll be back in the morning to eat breakfast with us. I'm sad that he'll be staying at his apartment all weekend instead of here with us, but I was worried that we couldn't discreetly sneak around in the close quarters of the hotel.

Friday morning we go downtown to Edward's office. I have a meeting with Caius and Felix; Edward has babysitting duty. He volunteered to take the kids down to his office for awhile and I smile as they walk away from me, watching Edward stop every person he sees in the hall to introduce them to the kids.

My meeting lasts a little over an hour and Caius offers to walk me down to Edward's office when it's over. As we get near his office, I can hear loud voices and I groan out loud. Chase is trash talking someone. Charlotte isn't at her desk and I'm sure I hear Eric yell, "He shoots, he scores!"

As Caius and I get to Edward's doorway, I can't help but laugh. Edward, Charlotte, Eric and my kids are playing 3-on-3 basketball with a nerf hoop. Edward, Sophie and Michael against the others. They are playing so intently that they don't notice Caius and me watching at first.

"Poor Charlotte, getting roped into this," I say quietly to Caius.

"Poor Charlotte? More like poor Edward. Charlotte played college basketball and was selected to be on the Olympic team in '76, but got pregnant before the games. I don't think she ever let her son live that down," he replies, laughing.

"Little stinker cost me a silver medal! I didn't forgive him until he gave me a grandson last year," Charlotte says jokingly from across the room. "I'm starting to lose a little of my style, but I can still beat Edward at horse nine times out of ten."

Grinning, Edward looks my way and nods. I smile back. "Let's get out of here," he says, turning to look at the kids. "Beach or zoo?"

"Beach!" they all respond.

* * *

Two hours later, Edward and I sit in low-slung beach chairs near where the kids are building a sand fortress. We are both holding books with one hand and holding hands between the chairs with the other. We both look up when the kids run to the water to fill buckets and both look back down when they return. I grin to myself when I notice this and close my book.

"What?" Edward asks, without putting his book down or turning to look at me.

"What what?" I ask, still with the grin.

"What are you smiling about?" He's smiling now, too, but still looking down at his book.

"Us. This. Being here with you and the kids. It's nice to all be together somewhere besides Seattle."

He squeezes my hand and looks over at me, putting his book down. "Let's get in the water. All of us," he says, standing up and pulling me along with him. The kids grab the boogie boards Edward bought them and run ahead of us. I stop when the water is up to my knees.

"Come on, Mom!" Chase yells from a little further out.

"It's cold," I answer. "Give me a minute."

Edward keeps going out to where the kids are so they can catch the waves, and ride them in. I watch for a minute, wading a little deeper and laughing as Michael almost crashes into me. I have to hop to the side to avoid being knocked down. I'm so busy looking at Michael that I completely miss the fact that Chase is now heading for shore like a rocket. He rams into me and I fall ungracefully to my knees. I spit out saltwater and stand back up.

"Sorry, Mom," he says, looking at me wide-eyed.

"Not as sorry as you will be, son," I answer, stalking toward him. He can't get through the water as fast as I can, so I'm gaining on him.

"Edward, help!" he cries. "She's gonna get me."

"You're on your own, little man," Edward calls, but he starts coming toward us.

I catch Chase from behind and lift him up to me, tickling him on one side and kissing his cheek.

"Mom, put me down! And stop kissing me in front of people," he whines.

"Say it."

"Mo-o-om," he whines, making it into a three syllable word.

"Say it," I say again, still kissing and tickling.

"You're the best and prettiest mom ever," he says, laughing now and squirming around in my arms.

"Close, but that's not it."

"I love you, beautiful mother," he finally says. Both of us are laughing now.

"That's it, but it's too late to save you. Big breath," I say before dunking both of us.

When I stand back up, Edward catches me from behind. "I love you, too, beautiful mother," he says in my ear, distracting me enough that I let go of Chase.

"I'm not your mother," I say.

"Oh, baby, I know that," he whispers, pulling me backwards into deeper water. I lean back against his chest and look for all three kids. After I've spotted them all, I realize that Edward's pulled me in up to my shoulders.

"What are you doing?" I ask, pretty sure I already know the answer.

"If this is the only way I'm going to get my hands on you this weekend, I'm taking advantage of the opportunity," he says, keeping one hand around my waist and sliding the other up to my breasts, caressing one and then the other, finally grazing my nipples with his fingers.

"SG, we can't do this here," I say to him, trying to catch my breath.

"No one can see. We look like any other couple out here," he says in my ear.

"Any other couple trying to cop a feel," I say, chuckling. He moves the hand around my waist lower, sliding down slowly past my belly button and into the bottoms of my suit. I grab both of his hands with mine, stilling them. "All right, that's it."

"What's it?"

"I am sneaking you in tonight, hotshot. I can't take any more of this torture," I say, turning around in his arms to kiss him.

"I think that's a fantastic idea. I promise I'll be quiet," he says against my lips.

"I just hope I can be quiet, too," I say. "Now get me out of this ocean before I end up screwing you right here in front of everybody."

As he pulls me back toward shore, he turns to smirk at me. "Less than 24 hours," he says arrogantly.

"Less than 24 hours what?" I ask, perplexed.

"For you to give in on the no-sex-this-weekend rule. I figured it would take me at least 48 hours to get you to crack. I must be better than I thought," he teases.

"Watch it," I warn, but it's an empty threat and he knows it.

"Baby, we can both watch it. Haven't you noticed that whole wall of mirrors in your bathroom at the hotel?" he says, bending to kiss me quickly before pushing me farther into the shallow water. "I'll stay out here with the kids. You go relax on the beach and think about tonight."

Groaning quietly to myself, I make my way back to my beach chair, thinking completely perverted thoughts and knowing there's no way I'll be relaxing until much later.

* * *

That night, we leave at six for the Dodgers game. All afternoon Edward gave the kids stats on his favorite players, clearly trying to inspire them to root for the Dodgers. On the way to the stadium, he starts in again.

"Trying to start a baseball war with my dad?" I ask, looking over at him.

"No, why?"

"You know Charlie's thing is baseball and his team is the Mariners. He's brainwashed the kids and now you're deprogramming them," I answer, chuckling.

He laughs, too. "Honey, I think it's okay if they like both teams, but I'll check with Charlie next weekend if it will make you feel better." He reaches over to take my hand.

Suddenly, I can't breathe. I feel like I'm drowning…but not in water. Drowning in something soft and warm: holding Edward's hand, listening to my kids talk animatedly in the backseat, wondering how I survived the last three years with them on my own. I mean, I didn't have a choice…that's how I survived it. But having someone to share all this with now is so much better. I'd forgotten that leaning on someone can make you feel stronger, not weaker.

I turn my head to look out the window and close my eyes so I can savor the absolute perfection of this moment. It envelops me completely and I have no doubt that this is exactly where I'm supposed to be…this man, this time, this family.

Family. Crap. That's what it is….this warm feeling. This is what I wanted to have during my childhood, but didn't. This is what I wanted to have with Marcus and the kids, but didn't. I have a twinge of guilt that I'm here with his children but feeling like this about Edward. I wonder what Edward's thinking, if he feels any of these same emotions. Worried, I turn my head back his way and open my eyes to look at him. He's smiling softly, amused by something, I think.

"What are you smiling about?" I ask, squeezing his hand lightly.

He shrugs. "I'm just having a good weekend," he says, squeezing back.

"It's only Friday night," I remind him.

"I know. That's the best part," he says, looking over at me and grinning crookedly.

He parks the car and we walk into the stadium. Immediately, the kids want hot dogs, peanuts and cokes. Once we're loaded with food and drinks, we start down the steps toward our seats – well, Edward's law firm's seats – second row, just left of home plate. An older usher stops us and asks to see our ticket stubs before we proceed down to the premium seats. I balance Edward's food along with mine so he can get the stubs out of his pocket. After checking them, the man tells us to go ahead, then tells Edward quietly, "You sure have a nice-looking family there."

Oh, hell. Panicking, I turn back to look at Edward to gauge his reaction, but he doesn't glance my way at all. He smiles the lop-sided grin, the one he usually saves for me, at the usher before quietly answering, "I sure do."

* * *

When we get back to the hotel after the game, I tell the kids that Edward is going to stay on the sleeper sofa in our suite for the rest of the weekend so he doesn't have to keep driving back and forth to his apartment. Sophie looks bemusedly at me, but doesn't say anything. Michael shrugs – his usual response lately to most things Edward-related. Chase is overjoyed. He and Edward got really close during the week when I was sick. After the kids are in bed, we hang around in the living room for awhile, making sure they are asleep before going to my room and locking the door.

Edward pulls me into his arms as soon as we're safely locked away. "Shower or bed?" he asks against my lips.

"I don't care," I reply breathlessly. "Wherever you want."

"Both. But I want you in the shower first," he says, backing me toward the bathroom.

"I knew you'd say that….pervert," I tease.

"Whatever. You love me anyway," he says, pulling his shirt over his head.

I stop backing up, letting him catch up to me and pull my shirt off, too. "You're right, SG. I love you anyway."

We spend the next two days at Disneyland. I think we go on every ride, even the 'baby' ones that Michael doesn't want to go on. We have a great time, but by Sunday evening we are all exhausted. After the kids are down, Edward and I lie on my bed facing each other, fully clothed, partially sunburnt, half asleep.

"I wish you weren't leaving so early tomorrow," he says quietly, reaching for my hand.

"Me, too, but they start school Tuesday. They have to get caught up on rest."

"You do, too. I wore you out this weekend," he says, smirking sleepily at me.

"That you did, SG. Maybe I can return the favor next weekend," I say, finishing my statement with a yawn. I scoot closer, tucking myself into his chest and promptly falling asleep. Neither of us moves until Sophie wakes us up in the morning.

"Nice example you're setting for us, Mom," she says sarcastically when we're both awake and sitting up on the bed in our rumpled clothes from the day before.

Edward and I both laugh when she runs out of the room after I mention the name of an all-girls boarding school in Canada. She's heard this line from me enough to know that I'm kidding about the school, but want her to knock off whatever she's doing lickety.

"Sophie, come back! We need to spend quality time together before you go," I yell, laughing harder when she comes back to the door to roll her eyes at me before shutting it loudly.

* * *

Ten days later, my cell rings at 5:47 a.m. "Goddammit, Jacob. You're getting married in two fucking days. Do you think I want to look like a sleep-deprived hag in all the pictures?" I yell into the phone.

He's laughing, loud and annoying, right in my ear. "Happy birthday, Bells. I wanted to be the first to congratulate you on being old."

"Keep it up, Black. You'll lose your best man…woman….person….whatever the hell I am. Who'll stand up with you then?" I say, still irritated.

"I don't know – probably Seth," he answers thoughtfully.

"Don't you dare try to replace me!" I seethe, outraged.

"Relax, Bells. I would never replace you. You're my best friend," he says earnestly. "You want to talk now since you're up?"

Oh, now I'm getting it. Something's up with Jake. "You getting cold feet?" I ask, trying to keep the tone light.

"I don't know. Did you when you married Marcus?"

"Jake, it's not a fair comparison. I had cold everything when I married Marcus. Please don't repeat that to anyone. It would crush the kids," I say. "But, really, I think nerves are normal."

I prop myself up in bed and listen to Jake prattle on for about 20 minutes about his psycho bride, her psycho mother, and his psycho sisters. I try to explain that weddings make otherwise sane, normal women do crazy things and that nothing they say to him or about him this week should be taken to heart.

"I just…maybe we should just keep living together and not get married," he muses.

"Ohmygod, Jake, whatever you do, do not say that to Nessie," I say, alarmed.

"I wasn't going to. I just needed to say it to someone," he says. "Just tell me it's all going to be fine after Saturday."

"Jacob, it's all going to be fine after Saturday," I repeat gently.

"See? I feel better. You're the greatest, Bells. And I'm really sorry that we can't go out tonight for your birthday. Are you sure it's okay to celebrate in a couple of weeks?"

"Absolutely. Edward can't come up early this week anyway, so I'm just going out with the girls tonight for dinner and drinks," I answer. "I'm getting too old to celebrate anyway."

"Yeah, you're right. Thirty-four is ancient….practically octogenarian," he laughs. We talk for a few more minutes then hang up.

I get ready for work and head to the kitchen, surprised to see the kids already up making me a birthday breakfast. Toaster waffles and orange juice. Smiling and teary-eyed, I hug and kiss them all and we all sit down to eat together.

* * *

Edward calls during my commute to wish me happy birthday. He still feels bad for missing it, but he's flying in tomorrow in time for Jake's rehearsal dinner, so I'm not going to complain. I call him back when I get to the office and see the enormous bouquet of flowers (lilies again) he sent me. Angela laughs so hard when she sees all the lilies that I threaten to do CPR on her if she doesn't start breathing normally again. I have no doubt that she will be the one who eventually tells Edward the double meaning of these flowers.

"I got flowers and they're beautiful," I say when he answers.

"Who sent you flowers?" he laughs.

"My hotshot boyfriend. Thank you, baby," I say quietly.

"You're welcome. I love you. I gotta go to court now, but I'll try to call you before you head out with the girls, okay?"

"Okay. I love you, too."

The rest of the day passes quickly. I get flowers from Esme and Carlisle, too. Alice and Rosalie both call me and I get a text from Emmett. Lauren has cake for me at lunchtime and James comes to my office bearing gifts….fancy chocolates. Pffft! Anyone who knows me knows I don't do fancy chocolates. Just get me a damn Snickers. But I'm nice and say thank you before I hand them off to Ang because she does love the fancies.

Right before I leave work, I get a text from Edward that he's still tied up in court, but he'll call me later tonight. I send back a smiley and an ILY.

My parents are waiting at my house when I get home. They watch me open their presents and then whisk the kids away for a three night stay at Chez Charlie and Renee. I feel guilty about giving my kids the boot for the entire weekend, but I'm going to be out late all three nights, so it's for the best. I hug and kiss them all and they are just leaving when the limo arrives with Emma and MK already inside. The girls come in and get to work picking out my clothes as Angela comes in the patio door with a pitcher of something called a Love Shack Lemon Shake and plastic glasses for us. I don't want to wear the short skirt they choose for me, but eventually give in and put it on. Then we are off to…..wherever they're taking me. They won't say.

We have another pitcher of the lemony drinks in the limo and drink toasts until we all have a little buzz. I squeal when we pull up in front of my fave Italian place….the same one Edward and I went to that first night in July.

"Yay! You guys are the best," I say, already anticipating the Diablo sauce…and the wine.

They lead me inside and the hostess leads us to the private side room. As soon as I round the corner, I hear "Surprise!" and see that the room is full of people I love: my parents, my kids, Jake and Nessie, Aro and Heidi, Ben, and Edward. I head straight for him, letting him scoop me up in his arms and kiss me in front of everyone.

"Happy birthday, baby," he says, smiling at me.

"You faked me out. You were already here when you texted me?" I ask, wiping the corners of my eyes.

"Yep. I knew I wouldn't be able to talk to you without giving it away. I flew up with Aro and Heidi this morning," he smirks.

"You really are a sneaky boy. I'm so glad you're here," I say, kissing him again.

"I missed your last 15 birthdays, Bella. I'm not planning on missing anymore," he responds, grinning down at me. I roll my eyes. Panty-melter. But I squeeze him once more before letting go.

I make the rounds of the room, hugging and kissing everyone, then sit down in the spot the kids saved for me. Dinner is delicious…and loud. After we eat, the waiter brings in a cake with 34 real fricking candles that I have to try to blow out. I blow so hard that my ears are ringing and I can't hear anything, but I think Jake is making dirty jokes about my blowing because all the adults are cracking up.

Then they bring me a pile of presents. I try to open quickly because I know my kids have to get to bed soon – they have school in the morning. Finally, I get to the last two, both from Edward. I open the bigger one first. It's a cushion.

"A cushion?" I ask, dumbfounded, looking over at him. He is blushing as he nods.

"Cushions for the kitchen chairs and barstools," he says. "MK picked out the fabric and had them made. The rest are at Angela's house." Now I'm blushing and the fairy freaking godmothers are doubled over with laughter. My mom has most likely caught on, too, because she is trying really hard not to laugh.

"You are in big trouble," I tell him quietly through gritted teeth.

"I know, baby. I didn't know MK would blab. Scary Emma made me bring the cushion. Open the last one," he says gently.

As soon as I get the paper off, I recognize the turquoise box with the ACW initials from Alice's jewelry line.

"What did you do?" I murmur, opening the lid. I gasp when I see the beautiful platinum and sapphire bracelet inside. I look up at him with tears in my eyes. "It's beautiful. It's too much, Edward."

"It's not. It's not enough to show you how much you mean to me," he says, kissing me. I wipe my eyes and have Ang help me put it on.

"Thank you. I love it," I tell him, wrapping my arms around his neck and holding him tightly. My boys start to make little gagging sounds and everyone laughs.

"Just wait, fellas. It'll be you someday," my dad tells them, laughing.

"Am I still in trouble?" Edward whispers.

I nod. "But not as much," I say, laughing. "Did you tell MK about the naked cereal eating?"

"No!" he says vehemently.

"She guessed?" I ask.

"Yeah," he admits and we both laugh. "Does that mean you won't have naked cereal day with me again?"

"Baby, naked cereal day was a big hit. And now that we have cushions, we are definitely doing that again."

"Thank God," he says, kissing the spot right under my ear before pulling away.

* * *

Three hours later, the fairy godmothers and I are sloppy drunk back at my house. Ben and Edward are sitting outside, escaping from the noise, they said. We went dancing for awhile, but decided we'd rather just be together somewhere. We have giggled basically nonstop since we left the bar, annoying the guys.

"Is it still my birthday?" I ask suddenly. All four of us try to stand still enough to focus on our watches without falling over.

"Thirty-nine more minutes," Emma says.

"Oh, shit. I better get moving," I say, kicking my shoes off and heading for the door.

"Where you going, Bells?" Angela asks.

I turn around to look at her. "To get my hot boyfriend. I haven't had sex on my birthday for sixteen years and if he thinks he's getting out of it tonight, he's wrong," I announce.

"He doesn't think he's getting out of it," Edward says from the doorway behind me. "He was just waiting to be summoned."

"Goodnight, everybody. Edward and I have to go now," I say, laughing as he pulls me toward the bedroom.

"Night, lovebirds," MK calls out. "Emma and I are staying at Angela's, so feel free to be as noisy as you want."

"K, thanks. Bye," I yell right before Edward shuts and locks my bedroom door.

* * *

Saturday, Jake and I are in the groom's room. I am completely ready; Jake is wearing shorts and a t-shirt. We each have a beer. I'm sipping slowly, trying not to spill any on my long, navy dress. Jake is guzzling his….he's way nervous.

"Jake," I say gently, "you really need to get dressed, buddy. It's 20 minutes 'til showtime."

His eyes widen. He slams the rest of his beer and looks at me intently.

"So you still think I'm doing the right thing?" he asks.

"Well, let's see. You love her, right?"

"Yeah."

"She puts up with all your crap, right?"

"Yeah."

"You can't imagine your life without her, want to have a family with her, hate being away from her, right?"

"Yeah," he says, smiling now.

"Then I think you're good," I smile back. "Let's get you dressed so you don't miss your own damn wedding. You know, they wait for the bride, but not the groom. They'll just shove some other idiot up there in your place."

He laughs now. "Okay, turn around."

"Jake, I've seen you in your undies before," I laugh. "Many, many times. More times than I care to remember."

"But on my wedding day, Nessie should be the only one to see me in my mundies," he says so sweetly that I do turn around, tearing up a little.

"Mundies," I snort. "You're still a dork, Black. Wait! You don't have on some goofy 'groom' underwear, do you? Is that why you're making me turn around?"

"No," he says defensively…a little too defensively. He's definitely wearing some sappy 'I heart Nessie' boxers or something. "Okay, you can turn back around."

He's got the pants on, but is struggling with the shirt studs. "Want help?" I ask.

He nods. So I get him all buttoned, help with his tie, and help him into his coat, pinning on the boutonnière and smoothing the coat across his shoulders. I sniffle.

"Jesus, Swan, are you gonna cry all day?" he teases.

"Probably. You're only doing this once, you know. You two are perfect for each other."

"I know," he says, his voice thick with emotion.

"I want to hug you, but I don't want to mess you up."

"Screw it…come here, Bells."

We hug tightly. I am careful to keep my made-up face away from his white shirt.

"Love you," I say sniffling again.

"Love you, too, Bells," he says, giving me an extra squeeze.

"All right. Let's get you married," I say as we let each other go. "I've got the ring," I say before he can ask, holding up my right hand and laughing as I flip him off to show him that I'm wearing it on my middle finger. I grab my small black bag and fish out the breath mints.

"Have a mint, Otis, so we don't get in trouble with the preacher for drinking before the hitching," I laugh. He takes the mint, takes my hand and we go out into the hallway to wait. We don't have to wait long before they call us out to stand at the front of the church. The flower lady hands me my small bouquet.

We walk out, still holding hands, to our places. I squeeze his hand one last time, then let go. I smile at Jake's dad and sisters in the front row. My parents and Edward are sitting in the second row with my kids. When I look at Edward, he mouths, "Wow. You are hot," at me, making me blush. Aro and Heidi are in the third row with Angela and Ben. I smile at them, too. Heidi is already teary-eyed and Gramps winks at me.

The wedding goes perfectly, and they are pronounced husband and wife. I sniffle my way through the whole thing, dabbing at my eyes periodically with the lace hankie my mom carried at both of her weddings to Charlie. When she gave it to me yesterday, she told me that she didn't let me carry it for my wedding to Marcus because she thought it was bad luck since she and Charlie divorced. However, she now thinks it's good luck again and has given it to me for today and for any other weddings that may be forthcoming. That last part came with a nudge and a wink.

When we get out of the church, I hug Nessie first. "Thank you, Bella. You're such a good friend to Jake. And to me," she says.

"You're the best thing that ever happened to him, Mrs. Black. Thank you for loving him in spite of his many, many flaws." We both laugh and Jake wraps an arm around each of us.

"My two favorite ladies," he says, planting a kiss on my cheek and then a longer one on Nessie's lips. "Bella, are you riding with us in the limo?"

"Yeah, Edward's driving my car with the kids and my parents so I can fulfill my best man duties." I laugh.

I see him coming out of the church just then, following my parents and kids. I smile at him and he smiles back.

"You look beautiful, Bells," my dad says, hugging me before moving on to Jake and Nessie. I hug my mom, too, but I don't take my eyes off Edward.

"You are stunning, baby," he says, leaning down to kiss me. "You're the prettiest best man I've ever seen."

I laugh and say thank you. "You look stunning, too, Edward. You're sitting with me at the reception, okay? The kids can sit with my parents."

"Okay. I'm gonna get them out of here. We'll see you there, sweetheart," he says, kissing me again.

I watch as he rounds the kids up and leads them and my parents through the crowded parking lot. Sophie turns around to wave to me and I wave back, smiling, wondering how the hell I got so lucky.

* * *

At the reception, Edward and I eat at the head table with Jake and Nessie and their immediate families. I notice James and Jessica staring at us way too much from where they're sitting with some of the other DiClemente employees. I think Edward notices, too, because he is really overdoing the PDA. I quirk one eyebrow at him when he adjusts the flower in my upswept hair, kisses my bare shoulder, and traces my left cheekbone with his index finger…all in about 30 seconds. A quick side glance confirms that James was watching the whole time. Seth calls us out for the wedding party dance then, so we walk toward the dance floor.

"What?" asks Mr. Innocent, wide-eyed and faux offended at my questioning look.

I shake my head at him as he pulls me close to him, resting our joined hands over his heart. "I know what you're up to, SG. Don't give him this kind of power over our relationship. PDA me because you want to, not because some asshole you don't like is watching. Got it?"

"Got it, Cupcake. For the record, I wasn't doing it because he was watching. That was just a side bonus," he smirks.

I scoff. "Cupcake?"

"You don't like it?" I shake my head. "How about Cookie?"

"Edward, be serious."

"I am. I also like Puddin'." He bends down to kiss me sweetly.

"Puddin'? No g?"

"Yeah, it's cute when you say it without the g." I laugh, but shake my head.

He leans close to whisper, "How about Caramel Sundae? I sure liked having you as my personal caramel sundae….caramel and cream."

My knees go weak for a second and I grasp his shoulder to hold myself up. He smirks at me, knowing he's affected me with that one. I know I'm blushing as I pull away to give him the evil eye.

"No?" he asks.

"No. No food nicknames. And no more getting me hot and bothered before I have to dance with other men."

"What other men?" he says. The smirk is gone now. Score one for Bella.

"Jake, my dad, Gramps," I say.

"Oh. Well, you can dance with them," he says, pulling me close again.

"What's that supposed to mean? _You're_ deciding who I can or can't dance with?" I ask testily.

"I didn't mean it that way. Please don't dance with James, though. That will drive me insane," he says, backpedaling. I tilt my head to look up at him. He smiles, so I smile back. We are silent through the rest of the song, but I move my hand from his shoulder to the nape of his neck and play with his hair, letting him know he's forgiven.

When the song is over, I see Charlie headed our way. "How about a dance with your old man?" he asks, cutting in.

"Of course, Dad," I say, smiling at him. Edward squeezes my hand lightly before letting go.

"You look so happy today, Bells," he says. "You're just all lit up every time I see you lately. It looks good on you."

"Thanks, Dad," I answer.

"I'm guessing Edward has something to do with all the glowing?" he asks, smiling.

"Yes. I think he has everything to do with it."

"Good. I'm so happy for you, honey." He pulls me closer and kisses my forehead just like he did when I was in high school.

I look over his shoulder to see Edward has entered the dance floor again…with Sophie. She's standing on his feet as they dance and they are smiling at each other. I smile and tell my dad to look. He does then turns back to me. "Bells, he's a good man. He's crazy about you and the kids."

I nod and rest my chin on my dad's shoulder, continuing to watch Edward and Sophie. They are laughing and talking, and the thing I love the most is that neither of them looks over to see if I'm watching. They are completely in the moment with each other. Edward has always been genuine with the kids…never paying them gratuitous attention to try and impress me. He's definitely got Chase and Sophie on his side. Michael is still a little more difficult to read, but my dad says that's a Swan family trait and I'll have to ask Michael how he feels if I want to know, not just expect him to tell me or display his feelings.

I finish my dance with my dad, then go to find Aro before he gets too tired. He dances with me while Edward dances with Heidi and then we switch partners. As I move into Edward's arms again, I feel like I'm back where I belong. Aro and Heidi dance close to us, looking over at us often. I can't help looking wistfully at them and hoping that Edward and I grow up to be just like them.

* * *

After all the dancing, I'm thirsty so Edward goes to the bar to get us fresh drinks. While he's gone, I see a familiar face across the room. He smiles and waves as he makes his way toward me.

"Bam Bam!" I exclaim when he gets close enough to hear me. I pull up the skirt of my dress so I can run toward him, laughing as he scoops me up into a bear hug.

"Jelly Belly," he says. "How are you?"

"Good. I figured you weren't coming, you're super late," I tease.

"I know. I was flying in from the east coast and our plane was delayed. It's so good to see you," he says, finally setting me down. "Let me look at you."

He takes one hand and twirls me around. My heart clenches as I face him again. He is as handsome as ever. We grin at each other and hug again.

"Has Jake seen you?" I ask.

"Yeah, I just talked to him and Nessie. They seem happy."

"Well, hopefully. It's their wedding day," I laugh. "Seriously, they are, Sam. They're perfect for each other."

"That's great. What about you, Bella? Jake says you have a bunch of kids now," he says.

"I have three. They're here somewhere," I answer, scanning the dance floor. They are all dancing now that Seth's band has picked up the pace of the music. Chase has taken off his shoes and is mostly sliding. Luckily, people are moving out of his way. "They're out there," I say pointing to the dance floor.

"Let's go, then. I want to see them up close," he says, pulling my hand, not giving me a choice.

We dance…me not very well, but Sam swings me around like he used to, as I point out the kids. I'm laughing and having a great time. When the song is over, I tell him, "There's someone else you have to meet. My boyfriend, Edward."

"Edward? The same Edward you used to pine over?" he asks with raised eyebrows.

"Yes. We got together again a couple of months ago." I can't contain my smile when I talk about Edward.

"Okay, lead the way," he says, following me. I see Edward immediately, standing with Ben, holding both of our drinks. Smiling at me, but not his regular Edward smile. His face is tense.

"Hi, baby," I say when we reach him. He hands me my drink. "Thanks," I say, kissing him. "I want you to meet my friend, Sam. Sam, this is Edward. And this is Ben, he's married to my best girlfriend." Ben and Edward both shake hands with Sam.

"How do you know Bella?" Edward asks, smiling, his face relaxed now that I've got my arm wound through his.

"Jake and I were roommates for two years in college, so I got to know Bella through him. And then we had our big romance, didn't we, Jelly?" he laughs.

I laugh, too. "Yeah, our short-lived romance, where we almost destroyed our friendship because we hated each other so much at the end."

"Good times," Sam says, still laughing. "Poor Jake. Remember how he tried to be the peacemaker? He was stuck in the middle the whole six months that you and I refused to speak after the romance came to a screeching halt."

I look up at Edward. He's smiling tensely again, not really laughing. Ben, however, is finding something about this freaking hilarious. Angela wanders up and I introduce her to Sam, too.

"So, you're _the_ Sam? It's nice to finally meet you. I've heard a lot about you from Jake and Bella."

"I think I'll get a drink. Hey, can I sit with you guys? I don't really know anyone here except Jake and Jelly," he says. I tell him that he can and he wanders off to find the bar.

I pull Edward by the arm back to our table.

"What's wrong, baby?" I ask when we're sitting.

"Nothing."

"Edward, we said we weren't doing this…,"

"I just didn't know your old boyfriend was going to be here," he says, sounding like a petulant child.

"I didn't know either. He's a freelance writer. I thought he was still living in Europe."

"I go to the bar only to come back to find you dancing with some guy I've never seen before…his hands were all over you and you didn't seem to mind at all," he says, looking at me intently with his deep green eyes.

"We went out to the dance floor to see the kids. Seriously, Edward, Sam and I dated for about three seconds, over twelve years ago. I haven't seen him since the day I graduated."

"Looks like he's trying to pick up right where you left off," he says sullenly. Oh, Christ. He's so ridiculous sometimes.

"Edward, I was never in love with him. It was nothing like this…like us. I love you."

"I love you, too."

"He's truly just a friend, baby."

"I know. I just can't stand to see another guy's hands on you," he says, plastering a smile back on when he sees Sam approaching.

Angela and Ben come to sit with us too and I mouth 'thanks' to Angela when none of the guys are looking. She points to Edward and mouths 'what the fuck'. I shrug and roll my eyes. It's been so long since I had a jealous boyfriend, that I can't even remember how to handle them. I quickly finish my wine, kick my shoes off under the table and get up, pulling Angela with me to go join my kids on the dance floor. Seth starts shouting at me through the mic.

"Shake it, Bells! I've seen you shake it before," he says. I laugh and turn to shake my ass at him. I turn and wave to Seth and Embry, the drummer.

"Twist," Seth calls out and we all twist.

"Monkey," he says next and we all do it.

"Cockroooaaaaach!" he calls and we all hit the floor, Angela and I holding our dresses around our knees as we kick our legs in the air. God, I'm so glad I took my heels off. I would never be able to get back up in them. We are all laughing when we get up and Jake and Nessie are running to join us on the dance floor. Ben and Sam are heading our way, too. I turn and crook my finger at Edward. He cocks an eyebrow at me….copycat. I cock one back and lick my lips. I know that will get him….and it does.

Seth starts again. We shake it, twist it, do the running man, and the cockroach again. I'm laughing so hard at seeing Nessie and her 20 layers of tulle lying on the floor kicking her legs that I can't get up. Edward and Sam finally team up to get me upright, but then I have to cling to Edward's neck to stay that way. He puts his arms around my waist and kisses my temple, finally smiling a regular Edward smile down at me.

My parents and kids hare ready to go, so Edward gives my dad the keys to my car and we tell them goodbye. Edward reassures Chase that we will see him in the morning before Edward has to go back to LA. Chase is so attached that I hate to think what damage it will do to him if Edward and I don't work out long term.

But there's no time to wallow about that now, because Angela brings me a shot and a beer. "We're getting fucked up," she announces. And since I can't think of a good reason not to, I acquiesce.

* * *

An hour later, Ang, Nessie and I are back on the dance floor laughing and shaking our asses at Embry. The band is between songs, so he's fooling around with us, hitting the drum when we shake to the left and the cymbal when we shake to the right. When I turn to look at him, he puckers his lips at me. He is cute…and he was one of the many guys my friends paraded past me last year when they decided it was time for me to get back in the game. I learned my lesson by dating Sam, though. Dating someone in my circle of friends, even casual acquaintance friends, is something I will not do again. But did I mention he's cute? I wink at him, which I know is a bad idea….but, you know, he's cute….and I'm drunk.

I turn back around to look for Edward. He's sitting at a table with Ben, Sam and Jake. He's more relaxed now, but he's still eyeing Sam warily. He looks up and meets my gaze. I think he must like what he sees there because he smiles my favorite smile at me and crooks his finger at me. I walk over to where he is and he pulls me down on his lap, nuzzling the side of my neck.

"How you doing, baby?" he asks against my skin. The feel of his hot breath on my neck makes Lily go all tingly and I suddenly have the urge to get out of here…now.

"I'm ready to go," I tell him.

"Okay, I'll text Tony," he says, shifting me around to pull his cell out of his pocket.

"Edward?" I whisper in his ear as he's typing the text. I wait until he 'hmm's?' before I continue. "Have you ever had sex in a limo?"

* * *

A/N: So......it's been awhile, eh? Unintended sabbatical....r/l children insisted on being fed,  
driven places, and wearing clean clothes. Hubby conveniently out of town for freaking ever.

And I may or may not have annoyed a hot (platonic) friend so much at a concert, that he  
has dubbed me Lady Blah Blah. Whatever; I only knew one song the whole night, so  
I basically had to entertain myself. With beer.

And I went with my bestie to see my almost-husband, Eddie Vedder, in concert.  
(No, I don't think he's aware that he was my almost-husband, but, again, whatever.)

Next chappy is mostly written, so it shouldn't be as long next time ;)

If anyone's still reading, please review!


	23. Chapter 23

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight. Forgot to say that last chapter. Hope nobody was confused. ;)

* * *

Oh brother I can't, I can't get through  
I've been trying hard to reach you  
Cos I don't know what to do  
Oh brother I can't believe it's true  
I'm so scared about the future and  
I want to talk to you  
Oh I want to talk to you

* * *

Edward's eyes snap to mine, a darker jade than his normal color. I smile at him coyly – or what I think is coyly. I might just look drunk…because I am. He exhales loudly and closes his eyes before leaning his face into my neck.

"Are you trying to kill me?" he asks, chuckling.

"Definitely not. I'm trying to sex you…in the limo," I respond, wiggling on his lap a little, inciting a quiet groan from him. He lifts his head and looks back down at his phone.

"Baby, did you forget that Angela and Ben are riding with us? Or were you planning some sort of group thing? Because I have to tell you, I'm a little too possessive of you for that," he says, finishing his text and looking at me with laughing eyes.

"Are you laughing at me?" I ask, cocking one eyebrow at him.

"No, Bella. You have no idea how much I wish they weren't riding in the limo with us right now," he says, pressing his lips to mine gently.

"Well…I have _some_ idea," I retort, wiggling on his lap again and chuckling.

"Okay, you have to get up now," he says laughingly, kissing me once more before grasping my waist and standing me up beside him. He reaches down under the table to get my shoes and picks up my clutch from the table top. I reach up and put one arm around his neck, pulling his head down to whisper in his ear.

"Let's hurry. We can at least make out for a couple of minutes before they get to the car. It will take Ben awhile to get Angela off the dance floor," I say, looking out to where Ben is trying in vain to catch Ang. I've been down this road with her before. She's pretty fast for a drunk girl.

"I love the way you think, baby," Edward says, putting an arm around my waist. We tell Sam goodnight and hurry toward the door.

* * *

The next three weekends, Edward comes to Seattle. Our weekends are filled with football – my boys' games on Saturdays and the NFL on Sundays. I try to be interested in the NFL games, but Angela and I usually end up alone in the kitchen talking while my three boys and Ben cheer in the next room and Sophie plays on my laptop.

The fourth weekend, Aro and Heidi invite us to a charity dinner and auction in LA. I lay down a 'No Fucking Football This Weekend' rule, to which Edward grudgingly agrees…after he adds a 'No Fucking Clothes-Wearing When We're Alone' clause. I have no grudge about agreeing to that clause…in writing, as requested my hot lawyer.

Friday afternoon, Emma and I fly to LA – Demetri invited her to the same dinner I'm going to. This is her first trip to LA to see Demetri, but he's been to Seattle several times since July to see her.

"Bells, no offense, but I'm not planning on hanging out with you this weekend except at the dinner tomorrow," Emma says, looking up from the magazine on her lap.

"I kind of figured," I reply dryly. Emma has made no secret of how much she enjoys her, um, alone time with Demetri. Since they don't see each other every weekend, I'm sure they'll be holed up in his apartment the rest of the time.

"How late can we leave Sunday?" she asks, looking out the window now, since we've begun our descent into LAX.

"I hate to leave any later than five. I feel guilty for leaving the kids all weekend and would like to at least see them before bedtime Sunday night," I say.

"Perfect. That will give me 50 hours of Demetri," she says, grinning stupidly at me. If I wasn't seeing it myself, I wouldn't believe that Emma would ever act this way about a guy.

"How serious are you two?" I ask. This is the point in the conversation where Emma usually clams up when all of us girls are together. I'm hoping I'll get a little more info since it's just the two of us.

"B, no one else knows this, not even MK," she says, looking around to make sure no one's listening before looking back at me with her ice blue eyes. I stifle a giggle and miraculously refrain from pointing out that she and I are alone on the plane, except for the pilots up front.

"I won't breathe a word," I say, realizing she's about to spill.

She swallows before speaking again. "I'm so completely in love with him. I haven't admitted that to anyone else, not even the man himself. I've never felt this way about anyone before and I am scared out of my mind," she says, teary-eyed by the end of her declaration.

I smile at her as I start talking. "I had a feeling. Emma, I'm so happy for you. This is great news. What are you so scared of?"

She sighs in exasperation. "Oh, I don't know. Broken heart, devastation, being ruined for any other man walking the face of the earth. You name it, I'm scared of it."

"How does he feel about you?" I ask gently.

"He says he loves me. You know, guys have told me that before, but I never really cared. Now I care so much….I can't say it back, even though I feel it. This is uncharted territory for me. I don't know how to act," she says, two perfect tears sliding down her face.

"Oh, Em. I'm so sorry you're scared, but you need to tell this stuff to Demetri. Don't make the mistakes I made the first time with Edward – holding back, being so afraid that I was paralyzed. It cost me."

"Pot, meet kettle," she says, laughing hollowly and wiping away her tears.

"Huh?" I ask, confused.

"You're still doing it, Bells. You're still not telling him how you feel, how seeing him weekends only is killing you, how you need him, depend on him. I know you didn't want him to feel pressured at first, but it's time to have an honest conversation about where you two are heading. Otherwise, it's going to cost you again."

"How did this end up being about me?" I grumble.

"You started it," she says, smirking at me now. "If I promise to tell Demetri how I feel this weekend, will you talk to Edward about how you feel?"

"Probably," I hedge. She purses her lips and raises her eyebrows at me. "I'll try. Edward already knows I love him, anyway."

"But he doesn't know the rest, does he? You have been so intent on making no demands on him that I'd be willing to bet he has no idea what you want from this relationship. You, my friend, are chickening the fuck out," she pronounces.

I look out the window. I know she's at least partially right, but I'm so afraid to rock the boat of our relationship. I guess maybe Edward is, too, because neither of us ever brings up making any changes to this weekend thing we have going.

"This weekend we both face our fears. Okay?" I ask, looking back at her as we land.

"Okay," she agrees, smiling at me.

As we descend the jet steps, Edward and Demetri both walk toward us. I hug and kiss Edward and then hug Demetri. Edward takes my bag and leads me to his car.

"Do you have to go back to work?" I ask.

"Nah. It's already three on a Friday afternoon. Half the office is gone," he answers, smiling over at me. "Besides, we haven't really been alone in weeks. I'm looking forward to spending time with just you tonight, baby."

I smile at him, but still have a knot in my stomach. I guess it's nerves about the conversation I told Emma I would have with him.

We go straight to his apartment and put my bags in his room. He grabs me around the waist and pulls me down to the bed on top of him.

"God, some weeks I feel like I won't survive until I see you again. This was one of those weeks," he says, holding me tightly and kissing the top of my head.

"I know. I miss you so much during the week," I say, feeling like I might burst into tears.

"Look at me, baby," he says. I lift my head to look into his eyes. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I think I have PMS. I'm just feeling a little mopey," I answer. "Is it okay if I shower? Maybe I can wash away the funk."

"Sure. You'd tell me if something else was wrong, right?" he asks. I nod, then scoot up a little to kiss him.

By the time I've showered and changed, I am feeling better…braver. I have firmly resolved to talk to Edward tonight. I wander through the apartment looking for him and finally see him out on the balcony, talking to Eric, who's on his own balcony, one floor up and one unit over. I open the slider door and walk out.

"There's our girl," Eric calls when he sees me. "Hi, Bella."

Edward turns to face me and I wrap both arms around his waist, kissing his neck before I look up and answer Eric. Edward hands me his beer and I take a couple of sips before handing it back. Smiling, he bends to kiss me and asks if I'm feeling better. I nod and pull him in for another kiss.

"Hey, not in front of the children," Eric yells, laughing. "Bella, I was just trying to talk Edward into hitting the bar for a little while tonight. Come on, you two. It'll be fun."

"We haven't even talked yet, Yorkie. We'll let you know later," Edward answers. I smile up at Eric and wave before pulling Edward by the hand back inside the apartment.

"What are you up to, Swan?" he asks, smiling at me. I take his beer and finish it, setting the empty brown bottle down on the table as we pass it.

"What I should have been up to as soon as I got here: Seducing my boyfriend," I answer.

"I'm not sure it's technically seducing if the other party is willing," he teases, holding back a little so I really have to pull on his arm to get him to the hallway.

"Edward, do you want to argue semantics or do you want to have sex?" I ask, quirking one eyebrow and putting an impatient hand on my hip.

He puts a finger to his chin and purses his lips to one side. Please. Like he's really trying to decide. Suddenly, he grabs me and throws me over his shoulder, then carries me to his bedroom.

He lays me down gently on his bed and settles himself between my legs.

"Does that answer your question?" he asks, kissing a path down my neck.

"Yep. Semantics it is," I giggle, then pull him back up to kiss my lips.

* * *

"Let's go down to the beach and watch the sunset," he whispers in my ear. We are still lying in his bed, both of us turned to face the window where we see the sun slowly dipping toward the horizon.

"We could watch from here, couldn't we?" I ask, not quite ready to get up.

"Yes, but it's more romantic down there, with the sound of the waves, the breeze, the sand," he answers, moving my hair out of the way and sucking lightly on the skin at the nape of my neck.

"SG, do I need to remind you about the 'no hickeys where people can see them' rule?" I ask breathily.

"No, I remember. Besides, I'm not sucking that hard," he chuckles against my skin. "Will you go to the beach with me? I'll take you for sushi after, if you want."

"Deal. Let's go before I change my mind and handcuff you to the bed for the weekend instead," I say with a sigh, sitting up.

"Wait! I didn't know that was an option. I want to rescind my offer," he says, grabbing my wrist as I stand up.

"Too late, SG. Now I'm totally horny for the sunset at the beach and sushi," I say with a serious face. "Get your lazy ass up and romance your girlfriend."

"Damn, you're bossy," he mumbles, but he's smiling as he moves to sit on the side of the bed.

"And you love me anyway," I say, picking up our discarded clothes from the floor and tossing them onto the bed.

"Pretty sure of yourself, Swan, aren't you?" he laughs.

"No, Cullen. I'm sure of you," I answer, smiling and bending down to kiss him. I stand back up and pull him to his feet, too. I hug him and then lightly smack his backside. "Now get dressed, Romeo. I want to see the damn sunset."

* * *

As we're walking back from the sushi restaurant, Eric texts Edward for the fifth time, asking us to stop at the bar.

"Oh, come on. Let's just stop for a couple of drinks. He's going to keep bugging you if we don't," I say, tugging on his hand to pull him in the direction of the bar.

"All right, but we're not staying late. I want more time alone with you," he answers, stopping on the sidewalk to face me.

"No arguments here, SG," I say, smiling up at him and lifting onto my tiptoes to kiss him.

We go into the bar and sit down at a table with Eric, Lucy, Mike and several other lawyers from Edward's firm. He introduces me to everyone, but I'm not really paying attention to anyone else's names. I notice that Kate is sitting at the bar, and she's watching Edward intently. I need to just ignore her. I have no time for skanks tonight.

Lucy switches seats with whoever was sitting beside me so we can girl talk. As I'm sipping my second drink, she leans over to me.

"There's a blonde at the bar eye fucking your man," she whispers.

"I know. She lives across the hall from Edward," I answer. "She threw a water bottle at me last time I stayed with him." Lucy and I both laugh at that.

"She what? Why didn't you say something?" Edward interjects, glaring at me.

"Oh, hell. Don't overreact, Cullen. She threw, she missed, I laughed. End of story," I say, leaning over to kiss the corner of his mouth.

"She could have hurt you," he growls, cupping my face with his hands, looking me over – for damage, I guess.

"But she didn't. And you know I can kick her ass if I have to," I laugh. Finally, he chuckles reluctantly and kisses me before leaning back in his chair.

"Yeah, yeah. You're such a badass," he smirks.

"I want to talk to you about something," I say quietly, leaning toward him and crooking one arm around his neck. I feel like I have the courage to tell him how I feel now that I have a little vodka coursing through my veins.

"Okay, baby. Can it wait five minutes? I'm going to go to the bathroom and then get another round of drinks," he says. I nod, hoping I don't lose any of my buzz in the next five minutes because a large percentage of my courage is liquid. He smiles at me again and quickly kisses me. "Don't run away with Yorkie while I'm gone."

I turn back to Lucy, but feel someone slide into Edward's empty chair beside me. It's Eric and he's pretty trashed. His eyes are bloodshot and he's slurring his words a little.

"Bella, Bella. Edward's so happy when you come here," he says, leaning his head on my shoulder. I laugh and reach up to pat his cheek. Lucy excuses herself to the restroom, leaving me alone with Eric.

"Edward had big news, huh?" he asks.

"Which big news, honey?" I ask.

"Offered a partnership at the firm…youngest full partner they've ever had," he states.

What? I swallow the wave of nausea I'm feeling and try to compose my face. Luckily, Eric is still resting his head on me and can't see my reaction. Why hasn't Edward mentioned this?

"Yeah, it's great news, huh? Did they just offer it today?" I ask innocently, feeling a little guilty for pumping Eric for info when he clearly doesn't have the ability to decide how much to tell me right now.

"Silly Bella…it was yesterday…two weeks to accept," Eric says. He lifts his head from my shoulder suddenly. "I don't feel good." He stands up and I call for Mike, who is the only guy whose name I know. He and another guy get Eric outside before he heaves all over our table.

Edward comes back right as Eric's being hauled away.

"Should we take him home?" I ask Edward, looking his way, but not into his eyes.

"No, Mike said he'd take him," Edward answers, handing me my drink. I nod and take a big drink of my vodka cranberry, then turn to Lucy when she sits back down.

"Is something wrong, Bella?" Edward says in my ear. I turn my head and shake it no, but still don't look in his eyes, afraid he will see that something is most definitely wrong. I lean my head back in Lucy's direction, halfway listening to what she's talking about.

The other half of my brain is sailing full steam ahead with various conspiracy theories about why Edward wouldn't tell me this news. And I'm still nauseous.

"What did you want to talk to me about?" he asks.

"It's not important right now. I'll tell you later," I answer. There's no way I'm bringing up any changes to our relationship right now. I could never ask him to give up an opportunity like this for me. And, honestly, I'm not sure how I would feel if he turned me down to stay here.

Edward nods and reaches over to take my hand where it's resting on my leg under the table. He raises our joined hands to his mouth, kissing the back of my hand and squeezing gently. I finally turn to look at him, trying to hide the hurt I feel. He is smiling sweetly at me and when he leans in to tell me quietly how much he loves me, I come to a conclusion: He must have a good reason for not telling me about the offer yet. He loves me, I know. He will tell me when he's ready. I return his smile and lean over to tell him I love him, too.

* * *

Saturday evening, I'm in the bathroom getting ready for the dinner and thinking about the day. Edward and I spent it lazily, cooking breakfast together, walking on the beach with our coffee, exploring some of the little shops in his neighborhood, then finally a whole afternoon of no-clothes-wearing before showering for the evening. He let me have the bathroom to get ready once he'd showered.

I wish the fairy godmothers were here to help me. Ang and MK do dressed up so much better than I do. I finish my hair and makeup and put on the strapless black cocktail dress that MK helped me pick out for tonight. Finally, I'm as ready as I'll ever be and I open the door of the bathroom and walk up the hallway.

Edward must hear my heels clacking on the wood floor, because he suddenly appears at the end of the hall, waiting for me.

"Jesus, baby. You're breathtaking," he says, leaning against the wall in some accidental, GQ-worthy pose. Hell, he doesn't even have to try to look that good while it takes me over an hour to look presentable.

"Oh, shut up. You're the breathtaking one and you know it," I say, smiling widely at him. My memory of Edward in a tuxedo failed me. He's so much more gorgeous than I remember. I turn my back to him and ask him to finish zipping my dress and fasten the hook and eye at the top. There's something so couple-y about this gesture and I smile as he kisses both shoulders and wraps his arms around me from behind when he's done.

"I haven't seen you in a tux since –," I begin, turning around to look at him again.

"Senior prom," he smirks.

"That was a good night," I remark, reminiscing in my head about how perfect everything was then.

"I got a feeling tonight's going to be a good night, too," he states. Okay, WillIAm. I smirk up at him and pull him down for a quick kiss. "Let's go. Aro just called and asked us to meet them early at the hotel bar for a drink."

I gasp excitedly. "Yay! Extra time with Gramps!"

"Should I be worried about you leaving me for an older man?" Edward asks, laughing.

"Edward, we are talking about my grandfather," I scold.

"Baby, you're aware that he's not your real grandfather, right?" he teases.

"Biology doesn't matter. When someone fits the right spot in your heart, there's no denying it's real," I answer, looking up at him. His eyes darken and he reaches for my hand, squeezing it gently and then raising it to his mouth to kiss my palm.

"You're right, Bella. It's real," he says, his voice filled with emotion. He clears his throat and leans down to kiss me. "Let's go find your Gramps."

* * *

Once the dinner is over, a band starts to play the old standards. When Edward hears the beginnings of "The Way You Look Tonight", he asks me to dance. He smiles and talks during the entire song, holding me close the whole time….but still never mentioning the partnership. My Gramps comes to cut in at the end of the song.

"Finally I've got you to myself. Thought we'd never get rid of that boy! How's the boy treating my girl?" he asks as soon as Edward's out of earshot.

"He treats me very well, Aro," I answer, grinning up at him.

"Looks that way. You both seem happy. When are you two going to make things official?"

I laugh, trying to sound amused and nonchalant. "Oh, Aro! We've only been together a little more than three months. It's not time yet to discuss anything permanent."

"Why the hell not? Heidi and I were married after we'd been together six months. Doesn't take that long to figure it out when it's right," he says.

"You're a sappy romantic, you know that?" I tease.

"There's nothing wrong with being a romantic, Bella," he says softly in my ear, pulling me close into a Gramps hug.

Tears prick my eyes before I answer. "You're right, Aro. There's nothing wrong with it at all."

Several minutes later, I corner Emma in the ladies' room. "So?" I pry.

"I told him. We said it before sex, after sex, during sex….fuck, I think I even mumbled it in my sleep." Then she giggles. In my entire friendship with Emma, I have heard her giggle _maybe_ eight times. Maybe. In thirteen years. Laugh uproariously? Heard it. Chortle? Guffaw? Heard those, too. Giggling? Rarer than a chupacabra sighting. But her giggling is infectious. I can't help but giggle with her.

"That's great," I say, hugging her.

"What about you, chickenshit?" she asks snidely.

"Still chicken," I respond. "We are both withholding pertinent information at the moment. I'm hoping it will be remedied by the time we leave tomorrow."

"Okay, B. Don't disappoint me," she says, narrowing her eyes at me before breaking into giggles…again. I might throw up if Emma doesn't return to her regular bitchitude soon.

When I get back out to the ballroom, Edward excitedly drags me around to the silent auction tables to show me what he's bidding on – Magic Mountain passes for us and the kids, a weekend at a B&B up the coast, a week at a condo in Hawaii over Christmas vacation for all of us, a behind-the-scenes meet and greet with some Dodgers players (I'd be willing to bet he ends up with this one at the end of the night).

"Jesus, Cullen, you'll spend a fortune if you win all that," I laugh.

"I won't win it all – I'm just running up the cost of the B&B because Demetri really wants it," he chuckles. I look at him with one eyebrow cocked. "Are you mad? I mean, I'll take you anywhere you want to go, baby. You know that, right?"

"I know. I'm just screwing with you," I say. "Dance with me again?" He nods and kisses me before pulling me back out to the floor.

"So I'm still working on your nickname," he says once we're dancing.

"Not ready to give up, huh? Are you going to bombard me with a slew of ridiculous nicknames every time we dance?" I ask, remembering Jake's wedding and all the food nicknames he tried out.

"Maybe," he answers, smiling.

"Okay, lay it on me, SG," I say, steeling myself against what I'm sure will be another round of cheesy nicknames.

"Violet?" he asks. I smile.

"Nope."

"Petunia?" I laugh and lean my head against his chest for a second, shaking it no.

"Buttercup."

"Do you think if you say it without the question mark, I'll agree? 'Cause that's a big, fat no," I say with a grin.

"Daffodil? Tulip?"

I shake my head again, looking up at him warily, no more grinning. No, he can't know….he pulls me closer and leans down to whisper in my ear.

"Lily?"

I gasp and pull back to look up at him. I can feel the blush spread from my forehead down to my chest. He's trying to hold the laughter in.

"Cullen, you better pull it together right now or I'm kicking you in the shin and going home….to Seattle," I say through gritted teeth.

"Oh, baby, come on. It's just a joke. I think it's cute that you named your….girly parts," Edward says. Now he's the one blushing.

"First of all, you can't talk about her if you can't even call her by her biological name. Vagina, Edward. It's a vagina. Why is that so difficult for men to say?" I huff.

"I don't know, sweetheart. I guess it's a guy thing, but you might want to lower your voice a little bit. You said that pretty loud," he says, his shoulders shaking with laughter. I notice that several of the couples dancing around us are laughing, too.

"Fine. Secondly, I didn't name her, Angela did. And lastly, who the hell ratted me out?" I ask.

"Um, I'm not sure I should tell you right now how I found out. Let's just say there was lots of alcohol involved and it wasn't done maliciously at all. The 'source' was actually telling me how grateful he or she is that I came along to make you and Lily so happy. Naturally, I was confused, but I did not jump to the conclusion that you were pregnant this time, which I think should earn me some extra credit points and get me out of trouble. Anyway, a long explanation of exactly who Lily is ensued."

"You will never mention it again," I say quietly.

"Baby, please? I think I might want to talk to her later when we get home," he whispers.

Fuck. She heard that. She liked that. If she had tiny arms and legs she'd be doing jumpy claps.

"All right, but don't do this to me in public again, hotshot. I mean, this is a nice hotel and all, but I really think we're past the age where we can just screw in a random bathroom," I say sweetly.

"You are evil, Bella," he groans, lowering his forehead to mine to look in my eyes. "You know exactly what saying that will do to me."

"Yep, I know," I say, smiling up at him. "You started it. Take it like a man, Cullen."

"I am. That's the problem." He groans quietly as I press against him.

"Sweetie, that particular reaction is never a problem," I say, leaving a gentle kiss at the side of his mouth.

"I think we should go home," he says, turning his head slightly to meet my lips with his.

"What about all your auction items?"

"Don't care right now. They have my credit card number and phone number. They can call if I win something," he answers. "Can we go home? Please?"

"No, Romeo. I don't want to go home. I want to go to the beach," I say, resting my head against his shoulder.

"God, you're killing me. Let's go," he said.

* * *

When we get to the car, Edward starts worrying.

"I know of a good place to go, but I don't have any blankets or anything in the car," he says.

"Check the trunk, hotshot," I remark, smirking at him when he looks at me with surprise.

He opens the trunk to find a flashlight, two blankets and one of his white shirts.

"Every time I think I couldn't possibly love you more, you prove me wrong. Thank you for planning ahead," he says, pulling me to his chest and kissing me. I cling to his shoulders as he moves his hands down from my back to my ass, holding my hips to his and grinding himself against me until I moan.

"We'd better get out of here now unless you want all the security cameras in this parking garage to catch us having sex," I murmur.

He chuckles and breaks away, holding the door for me as I get in and then getting in himself. He grabs my hand to hold during the drive to the beach. As we pull in the deserted parking lot, I wrench my hand away and reach both hands under my dress.

"Jesus, Bella, what are you doing?" he asks, parking then turning in his seat to look at me.

"Saving us time," I answer as I shimmy out of my panties and kick off my shoes. I turn my back to him. "Unzip me?"

"Good idea," he agrees, unzipping my dress part way, then taking off his coat, tie, shoes and socks, which I'm impressed he can do while I'm basically attacking his mouth with mine. I pull away to put his white shirt on and pull down the upper half of my dress underneath.

"Edward," I plead, leaning toward him again.

He puts his hands on my shoulders to hold me slightly away and we stare at each other, breathing hard. "I want you," he says, pulling one of my hands to his mouth and pressing his lips to the tip of each finger.

"Then what are we waiting for, SG?" I ask, opening my door.

"Look for glass before you step out," he warns. Hell, even his ridiculous, overprotective warnings sound hot to me now. We get out and carry our blankets to the sand. Edward leads the way with the flashlight and seems to know where he's heading.

"Bring all the ladies out here, Cullen?" I tease.

"No, baby. I've never come here with a girl. But I've lived in LA long enough to know where the lovers go for privacy on the beach," he says, shifting the flashlight to his other hand and reaching over to take mine. I raise our joined hands to my lips, kissing his and then studying it. He has the most beautiful hands.

He tugs me in the direction of some big beach boulders. There's a spot in between two groupings of rocks that gives pretty good cover on three sides. We spread one blanket out and I sit down while he throws the other blanket over his shoulders and kneels down in front of me.

I reach for him, wanting his mouth on mine, his hands on me. We lie down together and I help him arrange the blanket over us. I unbutton the shirt I'm wearing, watching his face in the moonlight as he alternately looks at my face and my chest.

"You're so beautiful. I love you so much," he whispers, leaning down to kiss me, then trailing his lips down my neck, to my chest. He licks and sucks both breasts until I'm writhing beneath him.

"Baby, please, I need you," I moan. He pulls back slightly to get out of his pants and I shift my hips to raise my dress out of the way.

"Jesus, Bella," he whispers as he slides into me.

"So good," I whisper.

"So good," he agrees, smiling at me. I urge him to move faster and he complies, both of us coming quickly, whispering 'I love you'. He thinks we should redress right after just in case beach patrol comes by, and then we sit, our legs intertwined, kissing and breathing in the salty air.

"Bella, we need to talk about some things, but I really want the rest of this weekend to be low-key, just us. Can we talk next weekend in Seattle?" he asks. I am sure this has to do with the offered partnership and it unnerves me somewhat that he doesn't want to talk about it now, but I try not to let it show.

"Sure," I reply. Oops. That was high-pitched. Even I heard it.

"Baby, it's nothing bad. I just want to enjoy our time alone this weekend and then talk some about where we go from here next weekend. Okay?" he pleads, turning to look at me, taking one of my hands between both of his.

"Okay," I answer, trying to sound more normal.

"Trust me, baby. It's all good," he says, kissing the top of my head.

"I trust you," I say. And it's true.

* * *

A/N: Okay, I promise this chapter was supposed to encompass 'the talk', but it just got too freaking long. It will happen in the next chapter, which will be up by Tuesday.

Also, I have started posting another story, An Undefined Affair. It will have more drama than this one, but some (hopefully) funny and sweet parts, too. The prologue is up now, and chapters 1 and 2 will be up Monday and Tuesday. Check it out if you've got a few minutes.

Thanks for reading!


	24. Chapter 24

Disclaimer: I still don't own Twilight ;)

* * *

And I don't know much  
But I found you here  
And I cannot wait another year  
Don't know where you're coming from  
But you're coming soon

* * *

All day Sunday, things are slightly tense between Edward and me. Although he swore it's all good and asked me to trust him, I can't help feeling like I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop…like everything to this point has been too good, too easy, and I'm going to have to really stand and fight for him now.

I also think there's a good chance I will have an ulcer by next weekend.

As he's kissing me goodbye at the airport, he hugs me extra hard.

"I love you, Bella. Everything's going to work out, you'll see," he says.

God, I hope he's right.

* * *

The next Friday, Lauren buzzes my desk intercom.

"Yes, Lauren?" I answer.

"Sam Uley is here to see you," she says.

"Oh! Send him in," I say.

"Will do. I'm leaving for lunch now, if it's still okay," she reminds me.

"That's fine, Lauren. See you later," I respond, then get up to hug Sam as he comes in. "What brings you down here to see me?"

He looks sheepishly at me before replying. "Actually, I came to see Jake, but he's not here."

"So I'm second choice, huh?" I tease.

"Never, Jelly. You'd never be my second choice. As long as I'm here, though, how about grabbing some lunch? I would like to pick your brain about a few things," he says.

I agree, so we head out. I forgot that Lauren is at lunch, though, so I stop by Jessica's desk and ask her to let Lauren know where I've gone. Almost three hours and two glasses of wine later, Sam and I return. We stop in Jake's office and I stay a few minutes to talk to both of them before going back to my own.

"Bella, Edward called. He caught an earlier flight so he's just going to come here when he gets in," Lauren tells me as I approach her.

"He called here?" I ask, wondering why he didn't call my cell.

"Yes. He said he tried your cell, but couldn't get you," she responds. I tell her thanks and go into my office where I see my cell phone laying on my desk. Well, that's why he couldn't get me. I giggle to myself and sit down to try and get my desk cleared before Edward gets here. James comes in and shuts the door, wanting to go over some employee issues that have come up in recent weeks. I get rid of him as soon as possible.

A little over an hour later, I smile when my phone rings. Things have settled back down between Edward and me this week – I'm not as nervous about the talk as I was. We have agreed to talk Saturday afternoon, after the boys' football games, but before we head out with Jake and Nessie to celebrate Nessie's birthday. She wants dinner and heavy drinking while watching Seth's band. It's sweet how supportive she is of her brother – and the band is good – but I'd rather stay home alone with Edward.

"Hi, SG," I answer after checking the caller ID.

"Hi, baby," he answers. "I'm in the building. I'll be up in a couple of minutes. Are you busy?"

"Nope, just waiting for you. Come on in when you get up here," I say, grabbing my tin of Altoids from my desk drawer. I chew two quickly after we hang up and call Lauren, telling her to send him right in when he arrives.

I know when he's coming up the hallway because I hear people greeting him. He replies to each one, calling them by name. How does he do that? It's that natural Cullen charm. All three of Esme and Carlisle's kids have it, in slightly different ways. When he peeks through my doorway, I jump up from my desk and walk quickly into his arms. I kiss him a couple of times and then just hug him tightly. I pull away and roll my eyes at Edward when I hear James talking outside my door. I step away from him, calling out to James to come in.

"I'll wait outside," Edward offers.

"You don't have to. I've got you under confidentiality now, too," I say, grinning at him.

James comes in and scowls when he sees Edward occupying one of the chairs in front of my desk.

"Cullen. Wasn't aware you were here," James says grouchily.

"James. Just got in for the weekend," Edward replies, smiling at James, then at me. I return the smile. James doesn't.

"What's up, James? I'm trying to get out of here," I say bluntly.

He hands me the new policy we've been working on and wants me to read through the changes he's made. I tell him I'll take it home and read it this weekend.

"You're sure you won't be too busy?" he asks haughtily. First I raise one eyebrow. Then I glare at him.

"I think you'd better go now, James," I say coldly. He sighs loudly and turns to go. Across my desk, Edward is chuckling quietly. "What?" I ask.

"As much as I dislike that guy, I do kind of feel sorry for him when you look at him that way," he answers, getting up and coming behind my desk.

"Why?"

"Well, baby, I know how much that look turns me on. I can only imagine what it does to someone like James…someone who can't have you," he says, bending down over me. He kisses the end of my nose quickly then straightens back up.

"Crap. I want to take you home right now, but the kids will already be home," I whine. "Maybe my parents would like to take them to dinner. I need you."

"I love you," he says, leaning down to quickly kiss me again. Someone clears their throat from my doorway. We pull apart quickly to see Angela laughing.

"Hello, Edward. I heard a rumor you were here. Ben wants you to come for guys' poker night at our house tonight," she says.

"That's nice, but I'm gonna hang with my girl," he responds.

"Then you'll be hanging with me, too, because I have to be out of the house from eight until midnight tonight," she snickers. "What should we do? Wine and chick flicks?"

"You can go if you want. It will be fun. Jake goes," I reply, looking up at Edward. "I'm sorry. I completely forgot Ang was coming over tonight."

"Well, maybe I'll go for awhile. But I have to leave early Sunday, remember? I don't want to miss too much time with you."

"Yeah, I remember. Remind me to tell Demetri not to invite you to play in any more golf tournaments," I grumble, but I'm smiling. "Let's go home. We can at least have a couple of hours before you leave me."

After we eat dinner with the kids, Edward heads over to Ben's just as Ang comes in my patio door. Ang and I watch one movie with the kids, then I send them to bed. We watch another movie and have a couple of drinks, giggling at first, but getting more and more sleepy as it goes on. Finally, the movie's over and it's midnight, but it looks like the poker party is still going strong.

"I can't stay awake any longer," she announces. "I'm going home and going to bed. Want me to send Edward packing?"

"No. He should stay if he's having a good time. I get him tomorrow night," I say. "I'm tired, too, anyway. I think I'll go on to sleep."

I take my time getting ready for bed, but Edward's not back by the time I've changed, washed my face and brushed my teeth. I leave the bathroom light on so he can see when he gets here and climb into bed.

It doesn't take me long to fall into a deep sleep. I hear the shower, but it sounds far away and I think I could just be dreaming it. Then I feel Edward slide into bed behind me and snuggle up.

"You're wet," I say groggily, feeling his wet hair against the top of my head.

"I showered. I smelled like cigars and whisky," he whispers, sliding his arm around my middle and nuzzling my neck. "Fuck. I wasn't going to wake you up but you feel so good." I sigh with a smile and lean back into him. He puts his hand up under the t-shirt I'm wearing to bed (which used to be his) and gently caresses my breasts.

"What time is it?"

"Just after one. You want me to leave you alone?"

"Um, I don't think so now that you've woken Lily," I say. He laughs against the back of my neck.

"Well, I can't disappoint Lily, can I?" he asks.

"Probably shouldn't. She holds a grudge against men who disturb her beauty sleep and then don't finish what they start," I say.

He raises the t-shirt and pulls it off over my head, then kisses his way down my back while one hand moves back to my breasts and the other to my thong. He reaches the base of my spine and uses both hands to slide the thong off me as I moan. Sliding his fingers through my folds, he kisses his way back up my back until he gets to my neck. He moves his mouth to my ear, tracing it gently with his tongue.

"Baby, do you know how much I love it that you're always so wet for me?" he asks, pushing two fingers into me as he says it.

"Edward, please," I say, reaching up to grab his hair. "I love you."

"I love you, too, baby," he says, pulling his hand away and lifting my leg over his hip. He thrusts into me, groaning. "God, Bella." He starts to move in and out of me, circling a finger over my clit until I'm on the edge.

I gasp loudly and then moan as I come and he thrusts once more then calls my name hoarsely against my neck as he comes, too. He wraps me tightly in both of his arms, still kissing against my neck softly.

"Lily says thanks for waking us up," I say, smiling and trying to look at him over my shoulder.

He raises up slightly to kiss my lips as he chuckles. "She's welcome, anytime. Go back to sleep, love. Sweet dreams."

I snuggle back in against his chest and clutch his arms as I fall asleep. For some reason, though, my dreams that night are not sweet.

* * *

The next morning, we head out for football games. Michael's is first – their team is really good and they win easily. I sit with a couple of the other moms, while Edward and one other dad he's gotten to know pace back and forth on the side of the bleachers. It's annoying in a completely sweet and I'm-so-glad-he-loves-my-kids way.

Chase's game is a little rougher, even though his is flag football. The other team is bigger and faster. Toward the end of the game, Chase is sent flying when a boy from the other team 'accidentally' plows right into him. He bumps heads with another boy on our team and falls flat. Edward is up out of his seat beside me and running toward Chase before I am. By the time I get out where they are, Edward and the coach are bent down over Chase. I see the coach holding bloody gauze and drop to my knees beside Edward as I gasp. The boy he bumped heads with is leaning over us now, too, checking on his friend.

Edward turns to look at me, his expression a little frantic. But when he speaks, his voice is calm. "Bella, it's just a cut – right over his eyebrow. They just bleed a lot, okay? He probably needs stitches, though. He didn't get knocked unconscious or anything, but they'll check him for concussion at the hospital. Breathe."

I do. I didn't even realize I was holding my breath until he points it out.

I stand as Edward and the coach help Chase up. He smiles up at me.

"Am I going to have a scar?" he asks excitedly. I roll my eyes and laugh.

"Probably. Do you want me to carry you to the car?" I ask.

"No way, Mom," he says, sounding like that's the dumbest thing he's ever heard.

"How about me?" Edward asks.

"Okay. Piggyback, though. Not like a baby," Chase answers. And just like that, I'm cooked. Irrational jealousy and unconditional love collide inside me and practically send me back to my knees on the damn football field. Overcome with emotions, good and bad, I look up at Edward as he hoists Chase up to his back. This man is it for me. He always has been. I need him in a way that I've never needed anyone else…not even the younger version of him.

"It's a guy thing, Bella. You can't let your friends see you being a mama's boy. Don't get all offended," Edward says gently, winking at me.

"Yeah, Mom. I'll let you hold my hand at the hospital, okay?" Chase adds, making me laugh, washing away the rejection I felt a moment ago. "Will they put one of those bracelet things on me like Sophie had when she got her tonsils out?"

"Yes. You're a pretty tough kid, you know that?" I say to him, handing him fresh gauze to press against his cut. I won't try to help out here where his friends might still see.

"Just like his mom," Edward answers, smiling at me.

True to his word, Chase does let me hold his hand while the doctor cleans his wound and puts three tiny stitches in. As we're walking back to the car, I tell Edward that I will call Jake and Nessie to cancel this evening's plans.

"No! Mom, Grandma and Grandpa are taking us to the aquarium tonight. You promised I could go," Chase whines. Sophie and Michael have also overheard and are whispering back and forth, preparing arguments of their own.

I look at Edward to see what he thinks. "I think he's okay, baby. How about you let them go and we'll check on him often. We'll have the limo. If he's in pain and wants to come home, we'll go get him," he suggests. Where is the overreaction I was counting on? But actually, he's making sense. I agree to Edward's plan, pleasing everyone in the family except myself.

When we get home, I corner Edward. "We lost our talk time," I say, smiling slightly at him. We were at the hospital for almost three hours.

"We can talk tonight. Nessie will be drinking fast, so we can cut out early," he says, smiling back at me. He's right. I'm not sure how he figures people out so quickly, but he does. I call them and tell them what's going on, though, and that we'll have to bail on dinner and just meet them at the bar.

My parents come to get the kids, my dad complimenting Chase appropriately on what a cool scar he'll have from the stitches. My mom says they'll be back tomorrow afternoon as she hugs and kisses both me and Edward on her way out.

Right before we leave the house, I get a text from Alice. Edward is moving his stuff down to my room from the guest room, so I'm in the kitchen alone when I open it.

***Please tlk to my bro abt moving here this wknd! Love u**

I sigh heavily and write back.

***I told you…I will NEVER ask Edward to move here. Butt out :) ****Love u 2**

I feel a little guilty for telling Alice an outright lie, especially since I'm planning to ask her brother to move here in a matter of hours, but I don't need her interfering by texting or calling one or both of us the entire night. This is between Edward and me.

And if things work out the way I hope they do, Alice won't mind me keeping her in the dark for a little while.

**

* * *

**Nessie and Jake are already at the bar when we arrive. Seth has saved us a table again – not as large this time since it's just the four of us. Ang and Ben are visiting his parents. Emma has a catering job tonight and MK is helping her. I'm not even sure if MK and Seth are on or off right now. It has been known to change up to three times a day.

We sit and order drinks, toasting to the birthday girl several times. Edward's phone vibrates between the first and second drinks.

"Alice," he says to me. "I'll be right back." He kisses me quickly and walks outside to take the call. Seth and Embry come over to talk to us. Embry sits in Edward's vacated seat to talk to me.

He is slouched down in Edward's chair with his arm around the back of mine when Edward comes back in…and I'm laughing hysterically at a funny story Embry told me about Seth and MK. I have my body turned toward him and I'm leaning in, so it looks like a more intimate conversation than it is. When I see Edward, I straighten up, then see him run a hand through his hair. He's either pissed or stressed.

"Everything okay with Al?" I ask. He nods tightly. "You remember Embry, right? Seth's friend, drummer in the band."

"Right. Hey," Edward says. Embry answers, then gets up, apologizing for taking Edward's seat.

"Somebody had to keep your beautiful girl company, though," Embry laughs. Normally Edward would laugh at this, but he doesn't now. I roll my eyes when Edward's not looking and Embry puckers a kiss at me then turns to hop on stage.

"Is something going on with Alice?" I ask when Edward's settled again.

"It was actually Jasper. He just wanted to tell me something."

"Something that upset you," I say, putting a hand on his arm.

"I'm all right. Just something that surprised me."

"You want to talk about it?" I ask gently.

"Not here, not now," he answers curtly. He picks up his beer and drains it.

"Are you sure?"

"Jesus, Bella, I'm sure. I don't want to talk about it. Drop it, please," he says, clearly irritated with me. I am surprised by the sharpness of his tone and immediately drop my hand from his arm and lean back in my chair. Jake looks over at me and frowns. I shrug and roll my eyes again.

The waitress brings us tequila shots, courtesy of the band. I don't wait for everyone else, shooting mine as soon as I get the salt and lime. Embry laughs at me from where he's checking equipment on stage and I raise my empty shot glass toward him and mouth 'thanks'. He winks back at me. I feel it coming on…I am going to get shitfaced tonight.

Seth brings his band's new guitarist/girl singer, Leah, over to introduce her to all of us before they start playing. She seems okay, even though she does hang on to Edward's hand a bit too long when she meets him. She's really pretty, too….and wearing leather pants to show off her amazing body, which makes me feel like a grandma in my jeans and plain black shirt.

I finish my beer and ask Jake to order me another then get up to go to the bathroom. Edward follows me.

"Bella, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have snapped at you," he says.

"You're right, you shouldn't. If you're pissed at me, tell me," I plead.

"I'm…I'll tell you later," he says. Okay…that's a non-answer. I rack my brain thinking of anything I've said to Alice lately that he could be pissed about…..this clearly has to do with whatever Jasper called about. Every conversation and email I've had with Alice has been superficial, though. Other than her text tonight, we have stuck to our 'no Edward in our friendship' clause pretty well.

"I love you," I say.

He nods. "I love you, too." He kisses my forehead and then goes into the men's room. What the hell? My forehead? This is not good.

After using the bathroom, I go back to the doorway of the back room where the band is playing and look over at our table to see if Edward's already seated. He is, and Leah is at our table, too, talking to Nessie….but she's standing beside Edward and bending over the table, so her ass is pretty much in Edward's face. Embry sees me before Edward does and jumps down from the stage to head my way. He grabs me around the waist, picks me up and carries me back into the hallway.

"Bella, calm down. She's just a huge flirt. She honestly doesn't mean anything by it," he says.

"Who?" I ask sarcastically. He laughs, setting me down, then pulling me farther down the hall.

"You looked like you were ready to throw down. So, you're serious about this guy?" he asks quietly.

"Yeah. Serious enough, and getting drunk enough, too, that if Leah doesn't knock off the seduction routine, I'm going to kick her ass."

"And I think you could do it, too. I'll talk to her…try to get her to give it a rest," he laughs. "Guess this means I won't get a shot with you, huh?"

I laugh. "I'm old enough to be your mother, Embry," I say even though I'm only six years older than him.

"That all right, I like cougars," he laughs, pulling me in for a quick hug.

I head back to the table again. Leah's still there, but Edward has moved over to my empty seat to talk to Jake. He turns toward me when I sit down.

"Where were you? I saw you coming and then you disappeared with the drummer," he says. He sounds like he's irritated with me all over again.

"I'm surprised you noticed me with that leather-covered ass in your face," I say snottily. "Embry and I were just talking in the hallway."

"Oh. Did you used to date him or something?" I frown and shake my head then turn away from him to face the stage. Embry is seated back at his drum set and he winks at me before pounding the bass drum with his foot a couple of times, making me smile at him. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Edward lean over to say something to Jake, then see Jake shake his head.

The waitress brings another round of tequila shots, saying that this time they're from someone standing at the bar. We all turn to look and see James and Jessica waving to us. Jake waves them over. Edward suddenly becomes much more interested in me, scooting his chair closer to mine and putting his arm around the back of it. He doesn't touch me though.

James and Jessica announce that they are here together…on a date. Before I know it, Nessie has invited them to sit with us and they pull up chairs to crowd around the small table. Edward wants to switch me back seats so I'm not sitting beside James. I do it because James has really been on my nerves since Jake's wedding, finding any excuse to come to my office, making sure we have several lunch meetings, and taking up a lot of my time unnecessarily with his ramblings.

Edward's face is now stuck in a permanent scowl. This night is so not what I hoped for. I look at him and half smile. He sighs and takes my hand under the table but doesn't return the smile. I slam down my beer, hoping that either his anger will subside or I will get drunk enough not to care. When the band starts, I am lulled out of my bad mood for a bit until I notice that Leah keeps staring at Edward.

"Why does she keep staring at you?" I lean over to ask Edward.

"I don't know. Why does James keep staring at you?" he asks back, scowl still in place.

"I don't know. Jessica's staring at you, too….so you win. Two psychos to one," I answer wryly. He looks at me, expressionless, then turns back to watch the band on stage without another word.

When the band goes on break, Leah flicks her guitar pick at Edward. He lets go of my hand to catch it and smiles at her, holding it up for her to see. That's it. I stand up, scraping my chair loudly on the floor and locking eyes with Leah. I glare at her, but she just sneers back at me. Seth sees the exchange and immediately gets in front of Leah and starts talking to her animatedly. I stalk away from the table and go outside to the patio to call Chase. While I'm on the phone with him and then my mom, James comes out and lights a cigarette. He approaches me after I end the phone call.

"Is everything okay, Bella?" he asks, concerned. "You look unhappy tonight."

"It's fine, James. I just have a headache," I lie. He follows me back to the table, guiding me with a hand on my lower back which I am sure Edward notices. I sit down and scoot closer to Jake, asking him to order me another beer when the waitress comes. Edward is still in his own little world, asking only if Chase is okay before going back to ignoring me.

I ignore him back, leaning across Jake to talk to Nessie. She makes me laugh so much that I forget about the moody boyfriend sitting beside me until Jake nudges me gently back upright in my seat. I look over at the brooder and he looks back. Neither of us says anything to the other.

From the other end of the table, Jessica hollers my name just as Jake hands me another fresh beer. I chug about half of it down while looking at her with my eyebrows raised as if to say 'what?'

"Is that Sam guy coming to work for us?" she asks.

"No, why would you think that?" I ask, annoyed that she's talking business in front of people who don't work for me.

"The only other time I knew you to take a two and a half hour lunch was when you were hiring the new IT team. I just figured since you and Sam were gone so long yesterday for lunch, it must have been a job interview. Then I know James was in your office for a while later, so I thought maybe you were doing his contract," she says, giving me her most innocent expression. I bite the inside of my cheek to keep from laughing. She's so obviously trying to cause trouble between Edward and me; I'm sure he will see right through her too.

I look over at him. He has gone from scowling to looking absolutely furious. He looks at me with his eyes narrowed and shakes his head. "Excuse me," he says to the table and gets up. I slam the other half of my beer then set it down hard on the table and get up to follow him.

"Edward, wait," I call in the bathroom hallway.

"Leave me alone, Bella," he turns and says lowly to me.

"Please, Edward. Listen to me," I beg. He whirls around to face me, his green eyes flashing with anger. I can't remember ever seeing him this mad.

"Jesus fucking Christ, Bella, for once in your life would you listen to me? Leave me the fuck alone for a minute," he seethes at me then turns and opens the door to the men's room, banging it against the wall as he goes in.

Stunned and teary-eyed, I stand in the hallway, right where he left me. I feel pretty drunk, so why does this still hurt so badly? Further proving that someone up there just doesn't like me today, James comes around the corner and into the hallway, stopping to speak to me.

"Bella, I'm sorry. I don't know why Jessica brought that up," he apologizes, coming to stand in front of me as I turn and lean against the wall.

"It's not your fault, James," I say, dejected. Edward has never spoken to me that way. Even when I broke up with him all those years ago. "It's just been a long day." I look into his blue eyes and smile half-heartedly.

"Bella, don't worry. Everything will work out the way it's supposed to," he says and steps forward to hug me, wrapping both of his arms around my shoulders. I am startled and don't return the hug, but I also don't push him away.

"I tried to tell you he would just end up hurting you," he continues. Now I do try to push him away, putting my palms against his chest and shoving him back, but he resists, gripping me more tightly with his hands. I push again, harder, wishing I wasn't up against the wall because I have nowhere to go to get away from him. He still won't let go.

"Let her go," Edward says menacingly from right beside us.

James releases me immediately. "Sorry, Bella. I was just trying to be a friend," he says. He's lying, of course, but I just nod at him. He turns to go and I start to follow, but Edward grabs my waist, pulling me back roughly against him so that my back is against his front.

"How come every time I leave you alone for two minutes, some other guy has his hands all over you when I come back?" he growls in my ear. I pull away from him angrily and turn to face him. I shrug and glare at him. "Why are you so pissed at me?" he asks.

"Jesus, I don't know, Edward. You stomp away from the table and then tell me to leave you alone in the most insulting way possible. Why the fuck do you think you get to speak to me that way?" I retort.

He closes his eyes and bows his head for a minute. When he looks back up, he's calmer. "Sorry. We need to talk. How much longer do we have to stay?"

"I'm ready to go now. I just need to tell Jake and Nessie." We walk back to the table, I grab my purse and text Tony to come get us and we tell everyone goodnight. Jessica looks pretty pleased with herself.

Tony has the limo out front by the time we get to the door. I climb in first and Edward follows. As soon as the door is shut, he turns to me.

"I can't stand seeing James' hands on you. I wanted to fucking clock him for even daring to touch you, but then when he wouldn't let you go when you were trying to push him away….I don't know when I've ever been as mad as I was then," he says through clenched teeth. He closes his eyes and shakes his head.

"Edward, the whole thing lasted thirty seconds," I explain. He opens his eyes again, his deep green eyes boring into mine.

"Don't you dare defend him! He shouldn't have put his hands on you. I don't want him touching you. I don't want any guy touching you except me," he says, then pulls me toward him across the leather seat. He lifts me to sit sideways on his lap and crushes my lips with his, holding my head still with one hand and rubbing the other up and down the outside of my thigh.

He kisses me passionately…almost desperately, and I have a fleeting thought that something more is wrong here, but it is displaced when he lifts the hem of my shirt to get his hand inside. He reaches immediately to unhook the front clasp of my bra and we both groan as he cups my breast with his hand, circling my nipple with his thumb before grasping it between his thumb and forefinger. I pull my mouth away from his, arching my neck back.

"Edward," I breathe.

"What, baby?" he asks, moving his mouth down my neck. He pushes me to sit back up and I shift so I am straddling his lap. I dive toward his mouth, pushing his lips open with my tongue, sliding both of my hands into his hair. He has both hands up the front of my shirt and I pull back for a second to lift my shirt off over my head and toss my bra aside, then go right back to kissing him. He moves his hands to my ass, urging me to raise up on my knees. When I do, he moves his mouth to my breasts, kissing and sucking on me while his hands cup my backside.

"Oh….god…..Edward," I moan as he continues to suck on one nipple. He slides one hand around from my ass and starts rubbing between my legs, pressing the seam of my jeans against my clit. I whimper. He lets go of my nipple to look up at me and smile then moves to the other side. He unbuttons and unzips my jeans to get his hand inside, sliding his fingers slowly toward my clit. He touches me gently, circling until I moan, anxious for more friction. He presses slightly harder then, but still doesn't give me what I want. Finally, he presses harder and holds his hand there, not moving. I gasp and move my hips to try and create the friction I want. He moves his hand then, sliding his fingers farther down.

Releasing my nipple, he looks up at me. "I fucking love you," he whispers throatily as he slowly slides his fingers inside me.

"I love you, too," I gasp, not breaking eye contact with him, even though I really want to shut my eyes. He moves his thumb to my clit and, still looking in my eyes, drives me to an orgasm so intense that my ears ring. I bite my bottom lip to stop myself from crying out and place kisses all over Edward's face, finally ending at his lips.

He wraps both of his arms around me and clings to me tightly. "How close are we to your house?" he asks quietly.

I look out the window. "About five minutes away," I answer. "I could have Tony drive us around a little more."

"No. I'd rather go inside," he says. "I'm sorry about the things I said to you. It was uncalled for. Can you forgive me?"

"Of course, Edward. I've said more than my fair share of shitty things to you, too," I answer. But I don't point out that most of mine were when we were teenagers.

"Well, hopefully it won't happen again since you're never eating lunch with Sam again," he says firmly, but with a chuckle.

"Hold up…..what? Why am I never eating lunch with Sam again?" I ask, somewhat afraid that I've just re-started the fight.

"One, he's your old boyfriend and lover; two, he wants to be your current boyfriend and lover; three, you're not really single anymore so it's misleading to say the least for you to be out alone with a single guy; four, you didn't even tell me about it this time; five, you can't –," he says.

I interrupt. "Okay, I get it. Possessive Edward doesn't want his girlfriend to go anywhere or do anything without his permission. Jesus! You don't fucking trust me." I got off his lap at number two and have my pants zipped and shirt back on by the time he wants to give me number five. I fold my flimsy lacy bra and hold it in one hand.

"That's not what I said," he argues, frowning.

"That's what you mean," I retort, tears springing to my eyes. I swipe them away angrily, and try to pull myself together since we've just pulled into the driveway. As soon as Tony stops, I open the door, not waiting for him to come around to open it.

"Thanks, Tony. Goodnight," I call as I practically run up the stairs of the front porch and unlock the front door. I hear Edward and Tony talking behind me. I go to the kitchen and get a bottle of water from the fridge, taking a sip and digging some ibuprofen out of the cabinet where I keep all the meds. I leave the bottle out for Edward, then decide I don't feel like being nice and put it back away. He walks in and shuts and locks the front door, then comes to stand on the opposite side of the kitchen island.

Minutes tick slowly by as we stand there, staring at each other, the island between us representative of the real divide in our relationship…one that's been widening for weeks. I feel disconnected from him in a way I haven't since we met again last summer.

I break the silence. "I don't understand why you're so upset. I have lunch with guys all the time and it never bothered you before."

"Groups of people don't count. Jake and Ben don't count. They both have wives."

I burst out laughing. "Are you kidding me? Edward, seriously? So I'm allowed to eat meals with other men as long as we're in a group or they're married? That's the most asinine thing I've ever heard."

"How would you feel if I was eating lunch alone with an old girlfriend?"

"If you ate lunch with an old girlfriend once? I would think that was fine. I trust you."

"What if it was Victoria?"

"That would piss me off, but not because you were eating with an old girlfriend. Because you were eating with an old girlfriend who hit you once and makes no secret of the fact that she'd like to hit you again. I would question your judgment, but not your faithfulness," I answer.

"I trust you. I don't trust Sam."

I sigh heavily. "No, you don't trust me. If you did, this wouldn't be an issue."

"Bella, you're being naïve."

"Edward, you're being condescending. Sam isn't even interested in me that way, but that's beside the point. If you trusted me to handle whatever situation arose, you wouldn't be acting so ridiculous about this."

"You slept with him." He says it like it's an accusation.

"More than 12 years ago. Jesus, baby."

"Are you interested in someone else?"

"Yes, Edward," I say sarcastically. "I want to date other people. That's why I've spent every weekend for the last three and a half months with you, talk to you and text you multiple times each day, drag you to kids' events and friends' weddings. And if that's not enough, I pretty much physically attack you any time we're alone. I also happen to be in love with you. What don't you understand about my feelings for you?"

"I don't understand why you didn't tell me you went to lunch with him. Why were you hiding it from me? You didn't even take your phone with you."

"I wasn't hiding it, and I just forgot to grab my phone. It was a spur of the moment thing. He came to see Jake, but Jake wasn't around. He came to my office then, and we decided to grab some lunch. He is looking for a more permanent job and wanted to know if I knew anyone in magazine editing. That was it."

"Then why didn't you tell me about it yesterday?"

"By the time I got back from lunch, you were already on your way here, and then when you got in, I was just so fucking happy to see you that it didn't occur to me to tell you about lunch with Sam. That's how little I think about him."

He sighs. I sigh.

"Speaking of hiding things," I begin, "when were you planning to tell me that you were offered a partnership at the firm? Hypocrite much?"

"How did you find out about that?" he asks, shocked.

"Eric told me."

"I wanted to tell you. I just wasn't ready to talk about it yet. I wanted to figure out how I felt about it before I talked to you and found out how you felt about it. Eric shouldn't have said anything."

"Eric shouldn't have had to say anything to me - it should have been you. So don't blame Eric. Eric assumed I knew, so I pretended that I did when he mentioned it at the bar last weekend. I trusted you to tell me when you were ready. Hear that, big shot? I trust you," I say tears slowly leaking down my face.

"I love you."

"But you don't trust me."

"I do, but this isn't about me trusting you. You haven't even apologized."

"For what?" I say incredulously. "Having lunch with an old friend? At a restaurant where a hundred other people were also having lunch? We didn't run off to the Holiday Inn for a quickie, Edward. But, fuck, am I sorry."

"You don't sound sorry."

"Well, I am. I am sorry you're acting like a jealous teenager about this. Edward, I've done the doormat thing before and I won't do it again. I won't be told who I can or cannot eat lunch with, be friends with. If you can't have a little faith in me and in the way I feel about you, then I don't know what we're doing here…then we're not building what I thought we were building here."

We stare across the island at each other. I'm still crying. He looks miserable, too.

"Are you going to accept the partnership?" I ask softly.

"I don't know. I haven't decided."

"It's a great opportunity," I say sadly.

"I really thought I'd be moving to Seattle until you said you didn't want me to move up here." Whoa, what? Oh fuck…round #3. Ding ding.

"I said what? I never said I didn't want you to move here."

"Jasper saw the text you sent Alice that said you would never ask me to move here. All caps." Fuck my life. I'm thinking this is where this whole night started to go wrong. This is what Jasper called to tell him? They are like freaking 12-year-old girls.

I sigh and wipe under my eyes. "Okay, that's what I said, but I only told her that because she's bugging me and driving me crazy about it. I was just trying to shut her up for the night so she wouldn't keep texting me. And I have told Alice numerous times that I won't try to push you or make you feel guilty to get you to move up here. That if you move back up here it will be because you want to, not because I pressure you."

"That's not how Jasper took it," he says.

"Well, I didn't send the text to Jasper, so he doesn't know how I meant it. But thanks, Edward, for immediately assuming the worst about me instead of just asking me about it." I swallow the sobs and continue. "If you had asked me, Edward, I would have said that I'd love nothing more than for you to be here full time. And I'm pretty pissed that you didn't just talk to me. How the hell did Jasper end up in the middle of this relationship?"

"Jasper knew that I wanted to talk to you this weekend about the possibility of me moving up here. He was just trying to keep me informed about what you're thinking."

I can't hold back the sarcasm when I continue. "Well, that's super nice of him, Edward. There's just one problem. Jasper didn't know what I was thinking. He told you what one text message said, which in reality isn't really the way I feel about you moving here at all."

He looks down at the counter.

I exhale loudly. "We're doing exactly what we said we wouldn't do. We're not communicating very well lately and we end up fighting about stupid stuff…misunderstandings."

"You're right. I'm just not sure how to fix it anymore," he says, tracing the pattern on the granite countertop with his finger….never looking at me.

"Well, I don't think we'll get anywhere tonight. It's late. I'm tired and I have a headache, so I'm going to bed." I pick my water up and head for the bedroom.

I get ready for bed and when I come out of the bathroom, Edward's sitting on the side of my bed. We look at each other but neither of us says anything. I walk around to my side of the bed and get in. He gets in a few minutes later. We both lie on our sides facing away from each other. Usually when we lay this way, we sleep butt to butt, rubbing against each other and laughing. Not tonight, though. Tonight there might as well be a line drawn down the middle of the bed. Neither of us willing to cross it.

I get up a little after five. I haven't really been sleeping anyway. I curl up on the loveseat in the hearth room with a blanket and a cup of tea. I doze off, and wake up to Edward calling my name softly.

"Bella? Are you awake?"

I open my eyes and look over at the arched doorway where he's standing, hair still wet from the shower. His bag is lying on the floor beside him. He's leaving. Even though I knew he had to catch an early flight back today so he could play in a charity golf tournament with Demetri and Aro this afternoon, it still feels like a punch in the gut that he's leaving now when everything between us is such a mess.

"I'll get dressed so I can drive you," I say, sitting up.

"No, it's okay. I called a cab," he says quietly. "Don't get up." He called a fucking cab?

I sit back. I feel paralyzed…all I can do is look at him.

"What do you want to do?" he asks, leaning against the doorway, hands half-in, half-out of his pockets. I stare at them. I love his hands, running through his hair, holding my hands, on me, in me.

"I think we should take a break for a few days and both of us should figure out what we really want," I answer flatly.

"So you don't want to talk about this anymore now?"

I shake my head. "I don't think it will be constructive right now. Let's give it a little time."

"I love you," he says sadly.

"I love you too," I answer, finally raising my eyes and meeting his gaze. I feel like I'm going to throw up.

The cab honks outside. Now I want to throw up _and_ cry.

"So we'll talk in a few days?" he asks.

"Yeah."

He walks over to me, leans down and kisses my forehead softly. He doesn't touch me in any other way.

"Bye."

"Bye."

I hear the front door shut and finally allow the sobs to come pouring out of me as my heart shatters.

* * *

A/N: As always, thanks for reading and please, please review. :)

Sorry, for those of you already on Wednesday time. When I said I'd update Tuesday, I forgot I had a full night after work.

The next chapter is almost ready, but r/l is crazy this week, so it may be as late as Sunday before I get it proofed and up.

Check out my new story when you have time: An Undefined Affair. Link's on my profile. ;)


	25. Chapter 25

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight or any of its characters.

* * *

After he goes, I'm not sure how long I sit and cry. I know I have to get up, though. I can't be sitting here in my pajamas and crying when the kids get home from my parents' house.

I manage to make myself presentable before they arrive. I fake smile at my parents so I don't have to discuss what is going on with Edward. My mom looks at me funny and hugs me extra tightly before she goes, but she doesn't say anything.

The kids and I decide to put up Halloween decorations, which helps my mood a little. Sophie and Michael have homework, so we spend part of the afternoon quietly while they do homework and I read…really, I pretend to read. I mostly think about Edward and what went wrong while trying not to let the tears take over again. I do not obsessively check my phone for texts, but I do keep it with me just in case.

When I go to bed Sunday night, I have no messages, no texts and no phone calls. I cave.

***E – just wondering if you made it home safe. Love – B**

I wait up for over an hour, but get no reply. After a fresh round of tears, I finally fall into a fitful sleep.

* * *

I wake up Monday groggy. I get the kids up and off to school and then head to the office. Still no answer from Edward. Since July, I've talked to him almost every morning during my commute. The absence of his voice, his attention, is more painful than I ever believed it could be. I can't even bear to hear the radio right now and drive in complete silence the whole way to my office. I check email as soon as I arrive…still nothing from him.

Jake, Angela and I have a quick meeting to go over financials for the previous month, then Jake heads back to his office. Angela gets up and shuts the door to mine.

"Out with it," she says, sitting back down across from my desk.

"What?" I ask.

"Something's wrong…something's off with you today. Your eyes look funny. Are you pissed at Edward or something?"

Jesus, how does she do this? "We're taking a break for a few days."

"From each other?" she asks shrilly.

"Yeah. He got pissy about me having lunch with Sam on Friday and I got pissy back and we fought about a whole bunch of shit. We decided to take a break for a few days to figure out what we want."

"You want each other."

"I think we do, but I'm not going to be bossed around or told who I can have fucking lunch with. It's beyond controlling. He doesn't trust me to be faithful or something."

'Oh, Bells. I'm sorry," she says, coming around my desk to hug me. I sullenly refuse to get out of my chair, making the hug kind of awkward. She laughs at me. "So how long is this break?"

"We said a few days, but I already texted him. He didn't answer," I reply.

"When did you text him?"

"Last night."

"Oh. Wow, willpower."

"Yeah."

"Well, he'll answer, B. He's completely fucking nuts about you. Everybody knows it," she says smiling confidently at me.

"Thanks. Enough about me. Let's talk about you. Something's off with you, too," I say. She's been acting not quite herself for the last few days, but I couldn't get anything out of her before last week, even on Friday night.

"It's Ben," she says, suddenly teary-eyed. "He wants to have a baby. With me."

I almost laugh at the way she phrased that, but she's not in a joking mood. This subject comes up with them periodically, but she always blows him off with some version of 'in a couple of years'. They've been married almost eight years now.

"How do you feel about having a baby?" I ask gently.

"Bella, you know I fucking love your kids, but I don't know if I could do it full time. I'm not exactly maternal," she answers.

"Ang, when it's your child, it doesn't feel like 'full time'. You want to do things for them. And you are very maternal with me…you've managed to pull me out of my guilt phase, make me have fun again, find me a hot guy, and push me to fall in love. You totally mommed me."

"True, but I don't think I can yell and cuss at a baby and give it delicious alcoholic beverages until it does what I want," she says.

"No, I think you go to jail for that shit," I say, smiling. She laughs a little. "Angela, I don't think that everyone has to have kids. And if you don't want to, I think that's fine and I'll support you. But if you do want to and you're just scared, please know that everyone is scared about it the first time. And if you decide to, I'll be here to help you any way I can. I love you and I think you'd make a great mom," I say sincerely.

"I love you too. Ben and I are going to talk about it more tonight. I will definitely think about what you've said."

Now I do get up to hug her and she heads back to her office. I have a shitload of papers on my desk that need handling, but I'm not in the mood. I read email, return a few phone calls, check my cell for texts. I have some, but not from the person I most want one from.

Around lunchtime, Lauren buzzes me that Aro is holding for me. I ask her to tell him that I've gone into a meeting. I can't bear the thought of talking to Gramps right now. I'm sure he knows something is up since he was with Edward yesterday. I'll call him later, when things are settled – one way or the other – with Edward.

I haven't gone this long without talking to Edward since we got together in July. It's been almost 28 hours of no Edward. By the time I leave my office, it's 32 hours. Still no Edward.

* * *

My mom shows up at my house Monday night right before the kids' bedtime. She takes over tucking-in duty while I finish cleaning up the kitchen. When she comes back downstairs, she takes my hand and leads me to the couch in the hearthroom.

"Bella, baby, what's going on?" she asks gently.

"What do you mean?" I ask, frowning at her.

"You had the funniest look on your face yesterday and tonight you still don't look right. It's Edward, isn't it?"

Involuntarily, tears begin streaming down my face. I nod.

"Do you want to tell me what happened?" she asks softly.

"No. I love you, Mom, but I don't want to talk about it right now," I say between gaspy breaths.

"Okay, sweetie," she says, pulling me close to her. I let her hold me while I cry until I can't cry anymore.

We sit in silence for several minutes after I'm cried out.

"Mom, I love him so much and I'm losing him again," I finally whisper.

"Bella, all couples fight. All couples go through rough patches. It doesn't mean that you'll lose him," she says. "There are times in every relationship where you fight with each other. And there are times you have to fight for each other, too. It took your father and me decades to figure that one out."

I raise my head to look quizzically at her.

"We quit, Bella. We quit on each other, on ourselves, on our family, and most importantly, on you. It's the biggest regret I have in my life. Don't quit on this relationship. You two are so good for each other. This little spat, or whatever it is that happened, doesn't change the love that you have for each other. You just got off track a little and now you have to fight to get back where you were."

She stays a few more minutes, but thankfully doesn't ask me for any details about what happened. When she goes, she hugs me hard and says again and again how much she loves me…and how much she loves Edward.

* * *

Tuesday passes in much the same way. I cave again and call his cell in the afternoon. Straight to voicemail. I leave a message that I'm just checking on him and that I love him. Then I put my head down on my desk like a kindergartener. That is how I'm sitting when James comes through my open office door.

"Bella, are you okay?" he asks. He actually has the nerve to sound concerned.

I sit up. "What do you want, James?" I sigh heavily.

"I have some papers for you to sign. How was the rest of your weekend?" he asks. Am I just imagining the hopeful gleam in his eye? I'm starting to think that he and Jessica set this whole thing up. Is that too paranoid? Maybe not. Jessica could have overheard Jake saying where we were headed Saturday night…she sits right outside his office door and he talks loud.

Would James and Jessica do something so crappy? Yes and yes. Hmmm, I'll have to think about how I want to handle this.

"My weekend was great. I'm just completely worn out from it," I reply, smiling a big fake smile. "You can just leave the papers and I'll look through them tomorrow."

His face falls a little at my weekend answer. Yep, I think I'm onto something with this set up. It doesn't change any of the issues that Edward and I are having, but it changes how I feel about my lawyer and Skankica.

"I needed those papers signed today," he insists.

"Then you should have brought them to me earlier. I'm getting ready to head out. I'll get to them in the morning," I say, standing up and ushering James out of my office. After he's gone, I get my stuff, make sure my office door is locked and head toward Jake's office, just out of curiosity.

I peek around the corner and James is at Jessica's desk whispering. This does not look like a lovey-dovey conversation though. I retreat back around the corner before they see me and head to the elevator.

I go home in the chilly rain and put on one of Edward's t-shirts. I fake it for the kids, but I think Sophie is catching on that something's up. They're usually around when I'm talking to Edward and I'm sure she's noticed that I haven't gotten any calls from him.

"Mom, is Edward mad at you or something?" Sophie asks. Crap. I wonder how much I should tell them and settle on enough not to lie, but not everything.

"Um, Edward and I are taking a little break from each other for a few days," I say carefully, trying to keep my voice even and steady.

"You broke up?" Sophie asks loudly, indignantly.

Chase hears this from the kitchen – where he's eating his chocolate ice cream – and comes sliding across the hardwood floor of the hearth room in his socks to stop right in front of where I'm sitting.

"Mom, what the fuck?" he asks. Oh, terrific. Dropping the f-bomb at age eight. How many 'crappy mother of the year' awards am I going to win?

"Young man, we do not speak that way in this house! Apologize right now for that language," I say sternly. Okay, if I wasn't in such a terrible mood, I probably would have had trouble keeping a straight face when he said it.

"Sorry. Does this mean Edward's not coming back?" he asks. "Why would you do that? I like him!" I shut my eyes and take a deep breath. Isn't this part of the reason I talked myself out of dating the last three years? The emotional push-pull with the kids can't happen. I shouldn't have answered Sophie quite so honestly.

"Honey, we didn't break up. It's all going to be fine," I say, hoping it's not a lie.

"Don't break up with him, Mom," he warns me before heading back to his ice cream. Fuck…it's the word of the day around here.

Luckily, it's close to bedtime, so I send everyone to shower. I do the tucking in ritual which takes forever tonight because Chase still has to be reassured that Edward will be coming to see him again. As I'm finishing up in the kitchen, I hear tapping at my patio door and see Ang. I go to let her in and take the cup she's holding out to me.

"Hey, how ya doing, Bells?" she asks, grinning at me.

"Hanging in. How about you? You look better," I remark, sitting at the table and gesturing for her to join me.

"I feel better. Ben and I are going to try to get pregnant," she says with a huge smile.

I squeal and jump up to hug her. We sit back down and she tells me all about their big talk last night and how she is still scared, but she does want to have a family with Ben. I am so happy for her that I forget to be sad for myself. I take a sip of the drink she brought me.

"This is so good, Ang," I say. It tastes like a flavored coffee.

"I know. I'm living vicariously through you. It's decaf espresso, caramel vodka, coffee liquer and half and half."

"It's so yummy," I say, taking another big drink.

"It's called a caramel sundae," she says, still smiling at me.

Once again, my tears are involuntary and are coursing down my face before I even realize I'm going to cry.

"Oh, honey, I'm sorry. What's wrong?"

"Inside joke…Edward….I'm sorry, Ang. I can't drink this," I manage to say between sobs. She grabs the cup and pours the contents down the sink mumbling about idiot men the whole time.

"So have you been thinking about what you want?" she asks while she's rinsing out the cup.

"Huh?" I ask.

"You said that you and Edward were taking some time to figure out what you want…or did you just mean he was supposed to figure out what he wants," she says. I think she's trying to provoke me.

"I want him here. I want him to move….I want him to _want_ to move," I answer.

"Okay, then tell him. And spend a little more time on your introspection, sister. You are going to need more than that to say to him when you two talk. What are you willing to give in return – it's got to be give and take, B. Balance," she says, coming back to the table and resting her hands on my shoulders from behind.

"Let's get you to bed," she says softly. We walk back to my room and she tucks me in, saying she'll lock up and turn the lights out. She kisses the top of my head before she goes. She'll make a great mom, just like I thought.

After she leaves, I get up to put the white shirt from the long-ago meadow sex on over the t-shirt I'm already wearing and get back in bed, crying silently again.

* * *

I struggle through Wednesday, getting moodier by the hour. Still nothing from Edward. I have texted him two more times. He's definitely ignoring me now. If he's trying to make me miss him more, it's working. But I am done crying now. No more of that shit.

My fairy godmothers, who are overly cheery, come to my office to drag me to Pilates class. Afterwards, they agree to come over for dinner and hang out with me and the kids. Eventually, Angela goes home to Ben and MK goes back into town to meet up with Seth. I feel a little bad because I didn't even know MK and Seth were dating again...then Emma says she didn't either. So I guess I'm not as out of the loop as I thought.

After the kids are in bed, Emma pounces. We are sitting at the kitchen counter drinking wine…I'm finishing my second glass while she's just starting hers.

"Trying to drink him out of your system, Bells? That won't work, you know. You'll end up with a hangover but still feel shitty about Edward," she opines.

"I know, Emma," I snap. Then sigh. "Sorry. I don't know what else to do. He's completely ignoring me."

"You know what you need to do, Bella? You need to get your ass down to LA and talk to Edward in person. Besides Ben and Ang, I've never been around two people who are so crazy about each other. Don't let a stupid fight ruin what you two have."

"I can't go to LA. I'll be destroyed if I haul my ass all the way down there to get dumped."

She laughs. "I don't know which one of you is acting more stupid. You both need a smack upside the head." She shakes her head at me.

"Can you just be on my side, please?" I ask, irritated now.

"I am on your side. You love him. Get down there and tell him…show him," she insists.

"He should know. I fucking tell him all the time," I say, moving from irritation straight to anger.

"Oh, please. He's a boy. He forgets half of what you tell him and wasn't listening to the other half in the first place. Demetri hasn't remembered two words I've said since we started dating," she says jokingly. Then she turns serious. "Bella, you'll never forgive yourself if you don't work this out with him."

"I know. I don't want to hear it in person if he's done with me, though. I won't be able to take it."

"I've seen the way he looks at you – the way you look at each other. You're not done. Now I don't know why he's not returning your calls, but if I was you, I'd have that airplane ready first thing in the morning and go get my man."

"I can't. I'm tired of crying. I'm tired of feeling crappy. I just want to pretend last weekend never happened."

"Not possible, sugar. You have to work out the issues that come up in a relationship, not just push them down or sex over them," she insists. When did love 'em and leave 'em Emma become so relationship savvy?

"I don't want to think about it anymore right now. Will you stay with me tonight? I don't want to be by myself."

"All right, but I can only sleep on the left side of the bed. No funny business in bed either…I've seen how you start rubbing against Edward after the second glass of wine…and I do a lot, but no girl on girl. And I get the remote," she states seriously. I shake my head disbelievingly at her then we dissolve into laughter.

"Okay, Emma. I think you're the funniest person I've ever met," I say, still smiling.

"Funniest person you've ever met or will meet, you mean," she responds. "Maybe you should text Edward that we're having a sleepover and pillow fighting in our undies. He'd probably answer you then."

"If I thought he would, I'd do it in a heartbeat," I answer.

"You're not going to make me sleep in one of the t-shirts you've lifted from the Edward Cullen summer and fall collection, are you?"

"Now that you mention it…" I say and we laugh again.

We watch a chick flick and discuss the general stupidity of men. Then she gets a text from Demetri and goes all girly-girl on me. I'm really happy for her…but my own feelings of despair are magnified when I think how that used to be me. I used to be the one getting late-night phone calls and texts. I used to be the one with the guy who was crazy about me. I hold it together, though, even sending a text of my own to Demetri and managing to smile for Emma.

Eventually they stop and Emma and I turn out the lights.

"Thanks for staying, Em. I couldn't face another night of waiting by myself for him to not call."

"You're welcome, B. It'll all work out, you'll see," she answers with a yawn. Huh. The same words Edward said to me ten days ago. Fucker.

"I hope so, Emma. I hope so."

* * *

Thursday morning Aro calls again. I ask Lauren to tell him I'm in a meeting again. I know I'm being a chickenshit, but I can't handle being interrogated by Gramps right now. I grab a sticky note and scrawl "Gramps" on it and stick it to the back of my cell so I don't forget to call him back later today or first thing tomorrow. I promise him in my head that I will call regardless of what happens with Edward.

By lunchtime, I am convinced Edward's completely done with me. Still no messages from him at all. I have refrained from texting him or calling him anymore though. I can take a hint. I would like to be childish and text him some nasty, name-calling messages, but I don't. I can't. I love him even if he doesn't want me anymore.

Last week, I whined to Jake until he let me have Tyler as my assistant. I had never gotten around to replacing my old assistant, after she quit to stay at home with her kids last spring. So today, my new assistant – who by Edward's rules I am not allowed to eat lunch with – and I are going over some reports in my office when my desk phone buzzes.

"Bella, Alice Whitlock is here to see you," Lauren says cheerily, probably thinking I'll be pleased by this unexpected visit. She doesn't know anything's wrong between Edward and me.

I sigh quietly. "Send her in." After I hang up the phone, I turn to Tyler and tell him we'll have to continue this conversation tomorrow. He is stepping out the door just as Alice comes breezing in.

I stand up and go to hug her. I get us each a water from my mini fridge and we sit down at the small round table in my office. I point out to her that I'm wearing my bracelet from her collection and her eyes light up when I tell her how much I really do love it. I don't mention how much I love the man who gave it to me.

"So, what's going on, Bella?" she asks when the bracelet conversation is exhausted.

"Just work. Busy, busy," I answer, but I'm pretty sure that's not what she meant. I suddenly get very interested in the lid to my water bottle, spinning it around on top of the table.

"I mean what's going on with you and Edward?"

"You are butting out, remember? I ask testily, looking into her bright blue eyes.

"Look, I'm happy to butt the fuck out when you two are not making a royal mess of a great relationship, but from what I hear, this is not one of those times. So I'm officially butting the fuck back in," she huffs.

I sigh heavily and rub my hands across my face. "I don't know, Alice. We got in a big fight Saturday. He left early Sunday. We're taking a break."

"Taking a break? You're taking a break? How Ross and Rachel of you," she says incredulously. "So have you talked at all this week?"

"No. I caved and called him, texted him. But he hasn't answered at all."

She rolls her eyes and makes a face. "I think he's turned his phone off. I can't get a hold of him either. I ended up having to talk to Eric yesterday at Edward's office because I was worried that I couldn't get through to Edward. Eric said Edward's been on a bender this week and he's had to pull my darling brother out of that fucking dive bar he loves at closing time every night. One night, he had to pull that slutty Kate from across the hall off of Edward, too."

"What?" I practically yell, sitting up straighter and slamming my hands down on top of the table.

"There's the new, improved Bella. Going to get off your ass and fight for your man, now?"

"What's that supposed to mean? He was the one acting like a fucking possessive dictator about me having lunch with a friend."

"Bella," she begins softly, "you and Edward both negotiate as part of your jobs, and I hear you're both quite good at your jobs. But when you two disagree, he overreacts and you dig your heels in stubbornly and refuse to give even a little. That's no way to build a lasting relationship."

"I know. And I definitely need to work on my part in that. But that's only part of the problem. He doesn't trust me," I say, my voice catching on the last sentence.

"Why do you say that?"

"He thinks I'm going to cheat on him just because I had lunch, a mostly business lunch, with an old friend, who I happened to date for a short period of time."

"You slept with said friend at some point?" she asks intuitively.

"Yes, forever ago. In college."

She laughs and smiles wryly. "Yeah, guys cannot be rational about that stuff, though. I don't think that means he doesn't trust you as a whole. He's just afraid of losing you."

"Well, it's ridiculous. He basically said it was okay for me to eat lunch with married guys, but not single ones."

She bursts into hysterical laughter. "Yep, that sounds like my brother. What an idiot."

"He's not an idiot," I say defensively. "He used to love me," I sniffle. So much for no more tears, Bella.

She reaches over to grasp one of my hands on the table. "He still does, Bella. That's why he's acting like an idiot."

"Speaking of idiots, let's talk about your husband," I say, knowing I'm going to get Jasper in huge trouble, but not caring. He started it.

Alice gasps when I tell her what Jasper told Edward and what Edward said to me about it. She pulls out her phone and texts furiously for a minute. I smile a little thinking about Jasper having to endure the wrath of Alice instead of me this time.

"Maybe we should chuck them both and turn lesbo," she laughs when she finally looks back up at me.

She talks me into calling Edward at his office, then announces she has to get back to Forks.

"Did you have meetings in Seattle today?" I ask, feeling bad for not asking earlier. Her line is selling very well in the stores it's carried in and I know she's had more offers.

"Just one…one very important meeting with my very good friend," she smiles at me.

I tear up again. "You drove all this way to talk to me?"

"Yes, Bella. You are very important to me…to Edward…to our whole family. Fix this. Don't let this happen again," she says firmly, her eyes are filled with tears now, too. "I'm going. You call him and work this out."

"Okay, Al."

We hug good-bye. As she's on her way out, I call, "Thanks for butting in."

She laughs and says, "Anytime."

As soon as she's gone, I call Edward's office and smile when I hear Charlotte's voice.

"Hi, Charlotte. It's Bella. Is Edward available?"

"Well, it's about damn time. What the devil is going on with you two? Edward's been insufferable all week, reeked of stale alcohol most days and looked like hell, which is hard for him to do," she says angrily. I'm not smiling anymore.

"We argued. I'm trying to fix it. I need to talk to him, but he's not answering his cell," I offer as a defense.

"I don't know what he did with it. He hasn't had it all week."

"Is he there?"

"Yes, but he's been in a meeting most of the day with the senior partners. Today is the first day that he looked better, and smelled better. He still hasn't shaved, though. But he had some light in his eyes again this morning. You…you haven't spoken to him?" She sounds confused.

"No," I say, my heart plummeting into my stomach. I wonder if he decided to take the partnership and that's what he's meeting with them about. "Well, will you just tell him that I called? Please, Charlotte?" I beg.

"Of course, dear," she says and we hang up.

I put my head down on my desk again, which is how I'm sitting when Emma comes in.

"Good God! All right. This has gone far enough. Get up. We are going to get some endorphins running through your depressed self."

"You already took me to Pilates this week," I complain.

"We're doing cardio today," she informs me. "You need to get a little of your fire back, Bella."

"I don't want to," I whine.

"I didn't ask if you wanted to. Get your workout stuff on. We're out of here in five," she says in her 'don't even think about arguing with me' voice. She grabs my gym bag from the closet in my office and throws me my Bermuda workout shorts, a sports bra and a tank top. Defeated, I go into my private bathroom to change.

We end up on the ellipticals at the gym in the building. She's in better shape than I am and I hope no one is listening to our conversation. She's speaking normally while I'm huffing and puffing and sweating like crazy.

"Maybe Edward's just not as great as we all thought….I mean if he's going to treat you like this," she says. This is another paraphrase of her mantra for the last fifteen minutes: Edward sucks, dump him.

"Thought you were his biggest fan," I manage to say, breathing hard.

"I was until he started acting like a complete cocksucker. I mean, really, I might kick him in the nads if I ever see him again."

"You will not! Don't you dare hurt him," I seethe.

"Why not? He's done nothing but hurt you all week," she says.

"How about you wait to find out what's really going on before you jump to all these conclusions about him? Jesus, Emma, at least give him the benefit of the doubt," I argue, meeting her eyes in the mirror in front of us. She smirks a little, then raises her eyes to the television over our heads.

She shrugs her shoulders. "Okay."

Oh…she's played me again.

"You're kind of a tricky bitch, you know?" I ask smiling at her in the mirror.

"Damn, Bella, I'm insulted. What's with this 'kind of' shit?" she asks, laughing.

An hour later, after cooling down on the treadmills, I'm sweaty, stinky and in a much better frame of mind…even though Edward still hasn't called me. Emma's right. I have to go to LA. As soon as I get home, I will call my parents to see if they can stay with the kids this weekend and then I'll call the pilot. Tomorrow morning I will get my ass down to LA like I should have done days ago and fix this.

I get in my car, not bothering to go back upstairs to get my work clothes. I take my cell phone out of my purse and stick the note to call Gramps to my console. My heart jumps excitedly when my phone rings a few minutes later. I pick it up…right area code, wrong number.

"Hi, Demetri," I say brightly, assuming that Emma told him to call and cheer me up.

"Bella, has anyone called you yet?" he asks, his voice tense.

"No," I say, nervous now from the tone of his voice. Something is definitely wrong. "What's going on?"

"God, Bella, I'm so sorry to have to be the one to tell you…I think you need to get down here…as soon as you can. It's bad," he says, his voice crackling with emotion.

My heart is in my throat as I beg again, "Demetri, what happened?"

* * *

A/N: Thanks for reading – please review. Next update will be next Sunday.


	26. Chapter 26

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight

* * *

Did I say that I need you?  
Did I say that I want you?  
Oh, if I didn't I'm a fool you see,  
No one knows this more than me.  
As I come clean.

* * *

"Bella, it's Aro. He collapsed," Demetri answers. My instantaneous relief that it's not Edward is immediately replaced by despair and worry for my Gramps.

"What? No…no. He called me this morning," I say disbelievingly, thinking Demetri must be mistaken and already feeling terrible for never calling him back this week. My mind is racing with a thousand different things – the first of which is denial.

"It just happened a couple of hours ago. I'm on my way to the hospital. Bella, he's on life support," Demetri says choking back a sob.

"No, Demetri. Oh my god. Okay. Okay. I'm on my way. I'll be there in four hours, tops. Don't let Heidi make any decisions yet. We'll get the best doctors," I blurt out a mile a minute.

"Just hurry, Bella," he says, giving me the hospital name.

We hang up and I dial Jake and ask him to get the plane set up. He wants to come so I tell him he's got 20 minutes to get his ass to the airport or I'm leaving without him. Then I call my parents to stay with the kids. They are upset, too…they both know how I feel about Aro.

An excruciating hour later, Jake and I are airborne, me still wearing my workout clothes with a random hoody I found in the back of my car thrown over the top. Jake gets airsick almost immediately because he didn't have Dramamine at the office. I rub his back and get him some ice and a blanket. I feel sick to my stomach, too. Eventually, Jake falls asleep and I lean against him on the bench seat, letting tears run silently down my face.

The guilt and sadness I feel is overwhelming. I wish I had talked to Aro this week. What if that was my last chance? My last chance to absorb his wisdom about life and love. My last chance to hear his deep, ringing laughter. My last chance to feel an inch tall when he calls me on my behavior – okay, he's never done that before. Gramps is usually amused with my bad behavior, but I think if I had talked to him this week, he might have told me to pull my head out of my ass where Edward is concerned.

Sitting here, reflecting with a new perspective, I think he would have been right. What the hell was I thinking letting Edward just leave and taking a break? Why did I regress into teenage pouty mode instead of talking to him?

I've been doing it for months now. I haven't been honest with Edward because I was afraid of scaring him off. Afraid if I said what I really feel, I-love-you-I-can't-live-without-you-please-move-your-ass-up-here-and-never-leave-me, he'd run for the hills.

It all seems so stupid now.

Have I driven him too far away now? He's been down this road with me before and may have already decided not to go down it again. How do I fix this? I run through a hundred different scenarios in my mind. I link my arm through Jake's, drawing comfort from his presence even though he's sleeping.

My thoughts inevitably drift back to Gramps. Then to Heidi. I've been in her position – kind of. The waiting is tortuous, the sense of powerlessness debilitating. Heidi, though, depends on her husband emotionally in a way that I never depended on Marcus. But I depend on Edward that way now. Have I thrown our relationship away again? For what? At this moment, I don't feel any anger toward him. The stuff we fought about doesn't seem important now.

After what feels like forever, we finally land, get a cab and race to the hospital, running in the door hand in hand. We get directions to the ICU waiting room from the slow-ass lady at the help desk.

When we turn into the ICU hallway, Demetri is standing at the far end, looking defeated. Our eyes meet, and he tries to smile at me, but it looks more like a grimace. God, what if it's already too late? I let go of Jake's hand and run, crying again, toward Demetri. He scoops me up, hugging me tightly and lifting me like a child. Only after I'm way up in his arms do I see the man standing behind him. My red-brown eyes meet his red-green eyes for an instant, then I squeeze mine shut. I can't deal with my Edward emotions right now on top of this. Edward and everything I feel for him will have to wait.

"Where's Heidi?" I whisper against Demetri's shoulder.

Demetri turns and walks into the waiting room, not putting me down until we're inside. I go straight to Heidi, sitting down in the chair next to hers and taking her outstretched hand. I hold it between both of mine as I try to get the tears under control. She is stoic in the way that many of us find we are capable of when faced with dire circumstances. I ask her a few questions, but she just shakes her head, not wanting to talk. Jane is sitting on her other side and briefly tells me what happened and that we are still waiting for word from the doctor. I nod and tell her thanks, then sit back, still clutching Heidi's hand.

Sitting in silence with Heidi, I quickly get lost in my own thoughts, reliving several painful moments from the last weeks of Marcus' life. He wanted to stay at home – didn't want to die in a hospital. I had nurses and hospice to help, but I tried to do everything I could for him myself. Watching the life slowly slip out of someone is both a humbling and agonizing experience. I held it together though, for weeks, for Marcus and for the children. And I discovered that no one could hear me cry in the shower. So I took a lot of showers.

I remember feeling hollow after he passed away, like I wouldn't have anything to give to any man ever again. And for a long time I didn't. Until Edward. I know he's here in this room. I know he's sitting with Demetri and Jake somewhere behind me, but I can't look at him yet. I'm afraid if I look in his eyes and don't see the light, the love, the desire I normally do, I will break beyond repair.

Well, Angela, I think wryly, you were right. I wasn't introspective enough up to now, but now that I've started, I can't stop. I didn't want to see before how I helped screw things up between us, how my behavior contributed just as much as Edward's, just in different ways.

I'm still punching Jasper the next time I see him though.

Okay, I probably won't – because Alice probably already did. That makes me smile slightly.

Now I feel guilty, though, because I know he was only trying to protect Edward. And, in a moment of complete self-honesty, I can admit that I have a history of hurting Edward, so it's not unreasonable for Jasper to jump to the conclusion he did. I wish he'd asked me, but I understand why he didn't.

Finally the doctor comes out to speak to Heidi, rescuing me from the painful dose of self-reflection I've got going on. I only hope what the doctor has to say will not be more difficult to hear.

"Mrs. Volturi, we can step into the family conference room," he says gently.

"I'd rather you just tell me here," she answers. He looks around at all of us gathered around her: me, Jake, Demetri, Edward and Jane.

"This is your family?" he asks.

"Yes, this is my family," she answers firmly, squeezing my hand and causing a few tears to leak from my eyes.

"Mrs. Volturi, your husband has sepsis, an infection of the blood. We are administering high doses of antibiotics and we have him sedated. He is also on a ventilator, as you're aware, to assist his breathing."

"When will he wake up?" she asks, still sounding strong.

"We'll just have to wait and see. In cases like these, the initial 24 to 48 hours are the most crucial."

"Will he wake up?" Demetri asks. I wish he wouldn't have asked that question. I am not sure I want to hear Dr. Whoeverthefuckheis' answer.

"I can't tell you that yet. His chances of survival are 50-50," he says gently. My abdomen contracts as if someone just punched me there and I sort of bend over in my chair. When I straighten up, tears are running unchecked down my face again. Heidi looks shocked. "We will keep you updated as much as possible. I've spoken to Mr. Volturi's gerontologist; he says Mr. Volturi has a great will to live and is relatively healthy for his age. Both of those factors weigh in his favor. Now, if you'd like to go back and see him for a few minutes, you may. Two at a time please." He gets up and shakes hands with all the men. Heidi, Jane and I stay seated, Jane and I still on either side of Heidi.

Demetri offers to take Heidi back to see Aro. As soon as they leave, I stand and walk to the windows, using the sleeves of my hoody to wipe away the wetness on my cheeks, watching all the cars rushing by outside in the darkness. I chuckle humorlessly thinking of all those people going on with their lives while mine is falling apart piece by piece. I wrap my arms around my torso, hoping to quell the pain inside but not succeeding. I feel hands on my shoulders, squeezing gently, giving comfort. I know without looking that they are not Edward's.

"Jake, he can't die. I'm not done with him yet," I whisper.

"I know, Bella." He leans his head against mine.

"Do you think we should get another opinion?"

"I don't know. I called Tyler and he's researching this doctor right now." I smile at that. Jake and I tend to think alike anyway, but it amuses me that even in this stressful situation, we're on the same page.

When Heidi and Demetri come back, Heidi looks devastated. She's teary and wringing her hands. She goes into the small restroom saying she needs a few minutes to pull herself together. Edward and Jane leave the waiting room to take their turn at seeing Aro.

I sit down next to Demetri and lean my head against his shoulder. "I should have brought Emma for you," I say quietly.

"I talked to her earlier. She's quite upset, too, about Aro. And worried about you…about how much more you can take right now," he says just as quietly.

"I'm fine. I just need Aro to pull through," I say. We sit in silence for the next few minutes. Heidi reappears and sits on the other side of me. I reach over to take her hand again, but none of us speaks.

When Edward and Jane come back, Jake comes to stand in front of me, holding a hand out to me. I take it, letting him pull me to my feet and lead me back to Aro's room. Tyler calls Jake just as we're about to enter the ICU; Jake takes the call and motions for me to go ahead. I smile sadly at the nurse checking Aro's vitals and step to the bed to take his hand, holding it gently. I ask the nurse how he's doing and she replies that he is stable for right now.

"Hi ya, Gramps," I say softly. "We're all here. We're taking care of Heidi. You concentrate on getting better so you can wake up. I have some things to say to you…some of them are not that nice, but what else would you expect from me?" I say with a hollow chuckle. "Come on, Gramps. I can't lose both of you in the same week," I beg. I can't hold the sobs back any longer, but I do manage to keep them quiet.

When Jake steps in and whispers to me that Aro's doctor is considered one of the best in his field, I just nod.

"I'm going to go for a walk. I'll be back in a little bit," I say, squeezing Aro's hand before laying it back down gently.

I walk back out to the hallway wiping the tears from my face. Edward is leaning up against the wall outside the waiting room, looking down at the ground. I haven't really let myself look at him until now. He's still beautiful, but he looks like hell. He has bags under his eyes, clearly hasn't shaved all week – which I already knew from Charlotte. His hair is an absolute mess; I'm sure because he's been running his hands through it like he does when he's stressed. He looks up as I come down the hall. I look over at him, but keep walking right past him, walking faster instead of stopping when he calls my name.

I roam the halls, wishing it was like the old days when you could go to maternity and look at the new babies to boost your spirits. Now you can't get on the maternity floor without some kind of code or bracelet or something. Maybe they should have puppies in a window instead. Or kittens. Something besides depressing, squeaky, linoleum floors and weird, abstract sculptures.

I end up in the chapel, sitting at the front, letting the tears fall again and wondering if God listens to people who only show up when they want something. I see him sit out of the corner of my eye, not too close, but not too far away. I don't turn and look at him, though.

"Hey," I say quietly.

"Hi, Bella," he answers.

"You didn't have to follow me. I'm okay," I say. I sound stubborn and childish, I know. Great start, Bella. Way to stop acting like an idiot and have an adult relationship.

"I know. You're always okay on your own," he answers, childish too, probably just following my lead.

I let my head and shoulders droop after that statement. If he only knew how false that statement is now. I used to be okay on my own, but now that I've experienced life with Edward, I don't think I'll ever be okay without him again. "I don't want to fight. I can't do this right now," I say, closing my eyes.

"I don't want to fight either. I just want to talk to you," he says.

"I don't want to talk right now, Edward. I'm too upset about Aro…and I look like shit…and I smell bad," I say. He huffs out one chuckle at that.

"Okay. The talking can wait. You look great, though, Bella. And you don't smell bad," he says softly, scooting closer.

"Bullshit. I need a shower. I know if I can smell myself, everyone else can smell me, too," I say.

"You know you're welcome to go shower at my place. You left jeans there last time you were here and you can borrow a shirt," he says softly.

"Are you sure you wouldn't mind?"

"Of course not."

"Okay. I'll do that then. I still have a key," I say, then feel fresh tears spring to my eyes as I think about having to give the key back if we don't work this out.

"I'll take you."

"You don't have to leave. I can get a cab," I say flatly.

"Fuck, why are you so stubborn?" I assume that was rhetorical and don't answer, watching him as he presses the heels of his hands against his eyes. "Let me take you. Please."

"All right."

I go back to the waiting room to get my bag and tell Jake where I'm going. He hugs me tightly and promises to call if there's any change in Aro's condition.

We drive to Edward's apartment in silence. It's strange that there should be so many things to say, but I can't think of anything. When we get upstairs, I find my jeans and my beach flip flops in his closet. He hands me a t-shirt and my black thong. I half-smile at him, mostly because I saw him get it from under his pillow. I take a shower, secretly glad that I don't have any of my stuff here and have to use his shampoo and soap. Now I will smell like him. I allow myself to cry a little bit in the shower, but I want to get back to the hospital, so I get myself under control fairly quickly.

I brush my teeth with the toothbrush I left at Edward's and put my hair back into a ponytail. I grab powder and lip gloss from my purse and apply those. That's as presentable as I'm going to be able to get for now.

When I come out of the bathroom, I start to walk up the hallway, but when I glance in Edward's room, he's sitting on the edge of his bed with his head buried in his hands. I stop and lean against the doorway.

"I'm ready. Thanks for bringing me," I say quietly. The room is dark except for the light shining in from the hallway.

He doesn't respond. I take two tentative steps inside the room, then two more until I'm standing in front of him. He looks up at me with teary eyes. My heart clenches and tears well in my eyes, too, as I step in between his legs, putting a hand hesitantly on his shoulder. He grabs me around the waist and pulls me close, leaning his forehead against my abdomen.

"Bella, please don't leave me," he says in a pained voice. I put both arms around his shoulders, hugging him tightly.

"Baby, I wasn't going to. I love you. I love you," I say, tears sliding down my cheeks.

"I love you, too. I don't want lose you," he says. We stay there several minutes, just clutching each other.

Finally, I pull away and sit sideways on the bed next to him. He reaches for my hand.

"Edward, we have some stuff to figure out, but I think we need to concentrate on Aro and Heidi right now…if that's okay with you," I say softly.

"Yeah, I think you're right. But, Bella, we will work this out. I will do whatever I need to do. I won't give up on us," he replies, looking at me intently.

"I won't either," I say, leaning in to kiss him softly. He slides his free hand under my hair to the nape of my neck, holding my mouth to his. After a minute, he pulls away.

"I love you so much, Bella," he says resting his forehead against mine, exhaling quietly. "You're right about concentrating on Aro and Heidi for now, though. We should probably get back."

"Okay. Let's go," I say, standing and pulling him up by the hand I'm still holding.

"And Bella?"

"Yes?"

"I want that thong back," he says quietly, making me laugh, really laugh, for the first time in several days.

* * *

We stop to get coffee and sandwiches on the way back to the hospital. Everyone drinks the coffee…no one feels like eating, but Jane talks Heidi into taking a few bites. The doctor comes back out to tell us that Aro continues to be stable and if his condition stays steady or improves, they will cease the sedation sometime tomorrow and see if he wakes up. Then he suggests we all go home to get some sleep. Heidi refuses, so Edward and Jake convince the doctor to get a recliner into Aro's tiny ICU room where she can sit with him and stretch out with a blanket.

I sit in a chair on Aro's other side until Heidi falls asleep. Then Gramps and I have a little talk. I take his hand again and tell him I want him to wake up and make a suggestive comment and wink at me. I tell him how much he means to me, how much I admire and respect him, how much I love him. The tears start again and I lay my head down on the bed beside his hand and let them fall until, exhausted, I fall asleep.

I wake up to a hand stroking the side of my neck. "Come on, baby. Your neck is going to hurt in the morning if you stay like this," Edward whispers in my ear.

I look up at him, then at the machines monitoring Aro.

"He's the same, which is good according to the nurse. Hopefully it means they caught the infection in time," he tells me. "Let's go out to the waiting room. I pushed a couple of chairs together for you to lie down on."

When we get out to the waiting room, it's empty.

"Jane went home awhile ago. Jake and Demetri just left. Jake's going to crash for a few hours on Demetri's couch."

"How long was I back there?"

"A couple of hours. It's a little after 1 a.m."

We sit down on the chairs Edward described. I put my feet up on the second chair and Edward grabs a sweatshirt he brought along and drapes it across my upper body. "I don't want to sleep anymore right now. I'm afraid I'll wake up and he'll be dead," I say, trying to hold in the sobs.

"Sweetheart, you have to be exhausted. Try to sleep…just a little more?" he says, looking over at me.

"I am exhausted…because I haven't slept all week. Where the fuck have you been and why haven't you answered your cell?"

He exhales loudly before answering….like he knows I'm not going to like this answer. "When I had to turn my phone off for takeoff Sunday, I decided to leave it off for the rest of the day. I knew I wouldn't be able to stop myself from calling you if I left it on. Then when I got home from golfing on Sunday and turned it on, the only person who had called me was fucking Jasper. I'm irrationally pissed at him, by the way. So I tossed the phone across the room. By tossed I mean I threw it as hard as I could. I killed my phone and dented the bookshelf. I didn't go get a new one because I was trying to do what you said you wanted and leave you alone for a few days. I thought it would be easier if I didn't have easy access to text or call you. Then this afternoon Charlotte said you called and Alice called, too. Alice left me a scathing message through Charlotte. I was not calling her back, for sure. But I was just getting ready to call you when Jane called about Aro. When I got to the hospital, Demetri said he'd already called you and you were on your way."

"Everyone's been trying to get a hold of you," I scold.

"If by everyone you mean all the Cullen women, and both of the Cullen men, then I know. I called some of them back while you were showering. I'm avoiding Alice and Rosalie, though," he chuckles.

"I didn't get to avoid Alice. She freaking drove to Seattle this morning…yesterday morning…whenever, to yell at me."

"Well, I got Aro and Heidi, and Charlotte and Lucy, even Eric gave me a ration of shit. So we're probably even."

"I got Scary Emma," I remind him, smiling wryly at him.

"You win," he chuckles.

"And Chase wtf'd me," I admit.

"Chase dropped the f-bomb at you? Did you say it first?" he smirks at me.

"Edward, it's not funny. He's a little boy," I say, but I'm having trouble not laughing.

"Was he defending me or pissed at me?"

"Does it make a difference?"

"Absolutely. If he was pissed at me, then I'm telling him he's never allowed to speak to you that way again. If he was defending me, I'm buying him his first shot of whiskey when he's 21."

I laugh lightly. "Whiskey, huh? That what you've been drinking? I heard Eric had to pull Kate off you and drag your ass home," I say, not looking at him.

"Off me? No. She was sitting on the barstool next to mine and pissing me off with her incessant chatter. Shit, I was drunk, but there isn't enough whiskey in LA to make me let her be _on_ me," he says, annoyed.

"Alice said you were out getting sloshed every night," I say quietly, still looking at the floor.

"Pretty much. Shit, Bella, I was so afraid that I was losing you all over again. I spent Sunday golfing and trying to act normal, but Aro knew something was wrong and cornered me when we were through. He tried to get me to fly right back up to Seattle Sunday night…and I should have. But I thought you needed space, wanted space, and would be mad at me for ignoring your wishes."

"God, we have royally fucked this up," I say sadly, shaking my head.

"Bella, don't say that," he pleads.

"Oh, Edward, don't overreact. We've just wasted a lot of time being miserable. We'll fix it, baby. Let's not talk about it now. I love you and you love me, right?" I look over at him and smile as he nods. "Then let's get comfy and table all this conversation until we know what's going on with Aro and have slept some. What are you doing about work tomorrow?"

"I have to go in in the morning for a little while. I haven't been good for shit most of this week. I was already planning to take the afternoon off, though, and catch the early flight to Seattle," he says.

"I was planning to fly down here this morning. Wouldn't that have been great? I come down here to see you and you've already left to go see me?" We smile at each other and I lean closer, resting my head against the side of his shoulder. He reaches for my hand to hold it tightly. We sit in silence, our feet propped on the chairs in front of us, each lost in our own thoughts for the moment.

* * *

We both fall asleep sometime around two. I wake up with a start at 4:30, panicked because of the dream I had about Aro dying. I look over at Edward, but he's still sleeping. I get up quietly and lay the sweatshirt across his chest and arms, then walk down the hallway to Aro's room.

Heidi is still asleep in the chair beside his bed. Gramps looks the same. I take his hand and play with his thinning white hair a little while I look at him. I try to memorize everything about his face, just in case. I scoot out of the way when the nurse comes in a few minutes later to record his vitals. When she's done, she smiles at me and beckons me outside the room.

"You're Mr. Volturi's granddaughter?" she asks when we're outside. I check her badge. Her name is Bree.

"Yes….I mean, not biologically, but yes," I answer.

"Well, I didn't want to wake your grandmother, but he's doing better. The doctor called to check on him a little while ago, and we're going to decrease the sedation and see if he wakes up. I just thought you might want to stick around back here. Sometimes patients are frightened at first when they wake up on a ventilator," she says. I have started crying again, but I do manage to thank her. I want to tackle hug her, but I'm pretty sure I won't get to stay if I do that.

"How long until he starts coming around, if he's going to?" I ask, sniffling and wiping at the wetness under my eyes.

"I wouldn't be surprised if he was awake within a couple of hours," she smiles again. Bree might be my new best friend.

I thank her then go back in and sit down with him again, smiling and still sniffling. I am obsessed with watching the machines and delight each time I see "spontaneous breath" on the ventilator instead of "assisted breath".

I hold his hand and whisper, "Keep working, Gramps," over and over. When Heidi stirs a little bit later, I tell her what the nurse said. She starts to cry, and even though I just stopped, I start up again with her.

I decide to go get us some coffee so she can have a few minutes alone with Aro. As I'm walking toward the waiting room where the crappy coffee machine is, Edward comes out to the hallway, looking alarmed.

"Aro?" he says hoarsely.

"Better. They're going to let him wake up," I say, smiling. Here come the stupid tears again. I walk right into Edward's arms and we hug tightly. We get coffee, then carry it back to Aro's room. Heidi takes her cup, silent tears running down her cheeks again. The nurse has been in and put restraints on Aro's wrists so he doesn't try to pull the vent out if he wakes up…when he wakes up. I sit on the arm of her chair with my hand in hers and we wait and watch. Edward sits in my chair on the other side of Aro. Finally, just a little before 7, his eyes start to flutter. I stand up and set my coffee and Heidi's down while she stands and takes his hand. Edward is holding his other hand.

His eyes open and close again. "I'm getting the nurse," I whisper and go to find Bree. The nurses are starting shift change, so both Bree and her replacement, whose name I don't look at yet because Bree is my best friend, come into the room.

"He does look like he's coming around," Bree smiles. She sees Heidi fingering the restraints. "I know it's upsetting, Mrs. Volturi, but they're only temporary. Once he's awake and calm, we'll take the restraints off. Sometimes they panic at first, though, and they can do real damage if they start pulling at the tube." Heidi nods.

Aro's eyes open then, landing first on Edward, then darting to me and Heidi. We are all smiling at him, but he looks frightened.

"It's okay, darling. It's just a tube to help you breathe," Heidi says softly, squeezing his hand. The nurse scoots up beside Edward and he lets go of Aro to move out of her way. She speaks soothingly to Aro, telling him what's going on and that the doctor will be here soon.

Aro drifts in and out for the next few minutes, but we all delight in just seeing his eyes open and the clear recognition in them each time. When the doctor comes in, Edward and I go out to sit in the waiting room.

"After I see Aro again, I'm going to the office for awhile. I have to take care of a couple of things, but then I'll be back. Assuming Aro's doing okay, do you want to try and talk today or tonight?" he asks.

For an instant, I want to say no. I want to say I'm so freaking happy that Aro's awake and hopefully coming off the vent sometime today that I don't want anything raining on my parade. But I know that's partly what got us in this position in the first place, so I put on my big girl panties and answer yes.

I turn toward him and run my fingers through the scruff on his jaw. I smile and he smiles back. "I kinda like this," I say.

"Really? I thought you'd hate it. I was going to shave it this morning. Do you want me to keep it?" he asks.

I shake my head. "Not really. I think I like you smooth best," I answer. "Wait. Maybe keep it until tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow?"

"Well, I figure at some point today I'm going to get to really kiss you and I would like to do that before you shave it," I say, blushing as I smile over at him.

"Sounds good, grizzly lover," he answers.

I make a face, scrunching my nose and curling my lip at that. I shake my head.

"No grizzly lover?" he asks, smiling down at me.

"Nope."

"I could be your beard," he laughs.

"Well, I did sleep with Emma Wednesday night," I say, quirking an eyebrow at him.

He laughs harder and leans over to kiss me gently. "I love you."

"I love you, too, beard boy," I say, touching his face once more.

* * *

After Edward leaves, I stay in Aro's room for the rest of the morning, watching as they remove the vent tube, smiling when he immediately tries to start talking, telling everyone what to do. The doctor urges him to rest his throat and the nurse brings him a small dry erase board to use for the rest of the day.

Jake comes in to see Aro, then tells me he's flying back to Seattle. I tell him I'm planning to stay the weekend, at least, or until I feel comfortable leaving Aro and Heidi. Demetri and Jane come by, too, and are pleased to see Aro doing so much better.

Heidi walks out with them to get a coffee, so I get Gramps to myself for a few minutes. He picks up his marker immediately.

'Avoiding me this week?'

I smile, knowing I'm busted. "Yes. Too chicken to talk to you. Good job, though, getting so sick that I had my freaking pilot fly me down here," I say, happy when he chuckles at my statement.

'Had to get you here somehow.'

"I knew it. This was all an elaborate ploy to see how fast we'd all run to the hospital, right?" I ask, narrowing my eyes, teasing him. He smiles but gets right back to writing.

'You and Edward - fix it!'

I nod. "I am…we are…we will. We're going to talk later today and work it out." He nods approvingly at me.

'He loves you."

"I know. I love him, too," I say, swallowing with difficulty.

He looks at me sheepishly as he holds the board up again. 'Did you call me Gramps?'

Holy hell. "Could you hear me? While you were out – you heard me, all of us?"

He nods. 'Sometimes.'

I know my face is turning red. "Sorry. I've been calling you Gramps in my head since the summer. I just felt so close to you – especially after everything you did for Edward and me. You're one of my favorite people," I say, sniffling again.

'Not sorry. I like it.'

"You do?" I ask, beaming at him. He nods and crooks his finger at me to move closer to the bed. I take his hand and lean down to kiss his cheek. "I love you, Gramps," I say, so happy that I got the chance to tell him. I press my cheek to his for a long moment, hoping he feels the depth of my affection.

When I stand back up, there are tears in my eyes and Aro's eyes are shiny, too. He whispers hoarsely, barely loud enough for me to hear, "Love you, too."

* * *

"Do you want to go back to my place and talk?" Edward asks. It's early afternoon and he's been back at the hospital long enough to see Aro. The nurse has now kicked all of us out so Aro can rest. Demetri just left to drive Heidi home to clean up and nap a little.

"No. I think we need neutral territory…and somewhere public. We can't just fall into bed to fix this," I say as we approach the door leading out of the hospital.

"You're right. There's a little café on the next block. We could go there. We can bring something back for Heidi to eat later," he offers. I agree and we head down the street, holding hands.

Once we're seated and have ordered, he dives right in.

"Bella, I acted like such an ass. I'm really sorry."

"I'm sorry, too."

"Baby, I want you to know that I do trust you. I have never doubted you or your feelings for me. I felt insecure about the whole Sam thing and I lashed out at you. But that's on me…not you."

"Why would you be insecure about Sam?"

"You two obviously had a close relationship. It's clear from the way your face was all lit up around him at Jake's reception. Then I thought you purposely didn't tell me about the lunch – I thought he was trying to lure you away from me."

"Edward, at the reception, that was nothing more than innocent joy at seeing an old friend…a friend I hadn't heard from or seen in a long time and whom I missed. And there's no way anyone would lure me away from you."

"Your face didn't light up like that when you saw me again last summer," he says, but he's smirking.

I roll my eyes at him, then try to explain. "I was so shocked when I saw you again. And my feelings for you were always so deep, so complex…when I first saw you last summer, I felt so many different things…happiness, fear, anger, panic, desire. Sam and I had a very superficial and fun friendship which we tried to force into something more. It wasn't right for either of us and we both knew it. And we worked really hard to get past the awkward post-breakup crap and rebuild that fun friendship.

"And as long as I'm spilling my guts, here, I'll point out to you that most of my formative years were spent around guys: my dad, Jake and his dad, you, Emmett and Jasper. I'm very comfortable around guys and like having male friends. I'm not sure that I can change that about myself, but I'll try to tone it down if it's going to continue to bother you," I say honestly. Edward listens intently, smiling at me the whole time.

He shakes his head at me. "No, I'm working on that. You should never have to run your friends by me. The only ones I will really have a problem with are the ones who are disrespectful or mean to you."

"Okay. I can live with that as long as it goes both ways."

"Absolutely."

"No more jealousy?" I ask, narrowing my eyes at him.

"I can't promise I will never feel it, but I won't freak out on you again. I felt jealous yesterday…when you came into the hospital with Jake, when you went running to Demetri –," he begins.

"Edward, I –," I interrupt.

"Let me finish, baby. I felt jealous, but not that you might have romantic feelings for them or them for you. I was jealous that they were the ones able to comfort you, not me. And that was my own stupid fault. I don't want to do that again. I know they're your friends and you should derive comfort from them. But you should have been getting it from me, too. I won't do that to us again – won't deny us that again," he says sincerely.

"Why couldn't we have done this last weekend?" I muse, smiling gently at him.

"I don't know. Next time we'll do better."

"Next time? Already anticipating our next fight?" I ask teasingly.

"No, definitely not. But we are both fairly opinionated. And one of us tends to really overreact about some things. I think it's safe to say there will be more disagreements," he laughs. "I love you."

"I love you, too. And I know I'm at least half to blame for this. I'm so stubborn."

He nods and chuckles. "Yep, you are stubborn. But this is so much better, Bella. In a sick way, I'm glad we got into that argument because I think we both have discovered ways to make things better, ways to stop holding back from each other. But I'm sorry I tried to tell you what to do."

"Apology accepted. Are you going to flip out if I eat lunch with a friend again?"

"No. You were right to call me on that shit. It was idiotic. I figured it out on my own, but my mom, Alice and Rosalie all called me this morning to tell me what a dumbshit I was...or am," he laughs.

"Okay – so we can put one issue to rest?" I ask.

He nods. I take a deep breath and dive into the next issue.

"Why didn't you tell me about the partnership?" I ask softly. This is a biggie for me.

"I was sure you would want me to accept it," he answers just as softly, searching my eyes with his.

"Why would you think that?"

"Well, didn't you?"

"I wanted you to do what you wanted. I don't want to boss you around, Edward." As soon as the words are out of my mouth, I know what his response will be.

"But that's part of the problem. There's a difference between bossing each other around and having a discussion as a couple about big decisions that either one of us is making. We don't do that. We end up walking on eggshells around each other…avoiding tough topics or not telling each other how we really feel about them. You don't tell me how you feel about _anything_ because you don't want to influence my decisions. So, I feel like whatever I do, it's not going to be what you want because I never fucking _know_ what you want," he says earnestly, but not angrily.

"I want you."

He smiles at me. "That part I got. It's the rest. How much do you want me in your life? Are you happy with the weekends only and want to continue that forever? Do you want me more involved with the kids? Do you ever want to get married again….have more kids? These are all things I want to know and don't feel like I can ask because you will just tell me to make my own decisions."

Now it's my turn to nod. He's right about a lot of that.

"Okay, maybe I've been a little too insistent on the independent decisions….do you want me to answer all of those questions?" He nods. "Okay, here goes. I want you in my life all the way, all the time. I do not want to continue with weekends only forever, but if that's the only way I can have you, I'll make it work. I love how involved you are with my kids and they really like you. You can be as involved as you want to be in their lives. I would like to get married again someday, but I won't do it again without being in love. More kids? Hmmm. Well, since our little, um, pregnant pause in August, I haven't thought too much about that. But I love babies…I love kids…I love being a mom, so you can probably figure that one out for yourself, smartypants. Did I get them all?"

He's smiling widely, looking at me steadily at me as he answers, "Yeah, I think you did." I smile back then ask the question that I think will set the tone for where we go from here.

"Are you taking the partnership?" I ask timidly.

He continues to look at me intently, but his smile falters slightly. He looks nervous. He takes a deep breath before he speaks. His answer, when it comes, is firm…and heart-stopping. "Yes."

* * *

A/N: This late update brought to you by my children and their summer babysitter who managed to completely screw up the computer and get it infected with malware. :)

Anyway, please leave me some hate, some love or some indifference. Thanks for reading!


	27. Chapter 27

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.

* * *

But you know it's alright  
I came to my senses  
Letting go of my defenses  
There's no way I'm giving up this time  
Yeah, you know I'm right here  
I'm not losing you this time

* * *

My heart drops into my stomach. I pick up my iced tea and drink, looking down, willing the tears that have sprung to my eyes to stay hidden.

He's taking the partnership. Breathe, Bella. Things can still be okay. How the fuck can things still be okay? He's taking the partnership! Can I move my family to LA? I inwardly cringe at the thought of completely disrupting the kids' lives again after feeling like we're just barely healed from the loss of their dad.

Why didn't I tell him I wanted him to move to Seattle last weekend? Last month? Or anytime in the last 20 minutes we've been sitting here?

"Bella? Look at me." I raise my eyes, but continue sipping my tea. "I was in meetings all day yesterday about this. Can I tell you why?" I nod. "Because I know what I want and I finally figured out the way to get it. I went to the senior partners with a counteroffer. I told them I would accept the partnership if we open a satellite office in Seattle. The partners have wanted to open an office somewhere else anyway, but hadn't decided where. So I spent Tuesday and Wednesday researching everything about Seattle from office rental rates to number of lawyers in the city. I met Caius for breakfast yesterday and got him on my side, and then made my presentation to the rest of the partners later in the morning. After several hours and a lot of questioning, they finally agreed."

I shakily put my glass down on the table and sit back to look at him, not bothering to wipe away the tears now leaking from my eyes. I'm barely holding it together at this point. Massive sobs are threatening to break through – joy, relief, excitement, love coursing through me now.

He gets up from his spot across from me and moves to the chair beside me, pulling my chair close to his…just like he did on my patio last July when we both declared ourselves in for the ride to see where this relationship would go. It's been a thrilling, terrifying, exhilarating, perfectly imperfect ride.

He reaches both hands up to my face, gently wiping away the tears. The greenest eyes I've ever seen look directly, honestly into mine. I raise my hands up to grasp his forearms, closing my eyes for a second to get control of my emotions. When I open them again, I am astounded at the depth of emotion I see in his.

He swallows and clears his throat before he continues. "So my plan was to move my ass to Seattle and sit on your doorstep until you took me back, no matter how long it took. I love you. I want to keep building a relationship with you. I don't want to be away from you anymore."

My breath hitches and I squeeze his arms as I start to talk. "I don't want to be away from you anymore either. If it was just me, I'd move wherever you were, Edward. I want you to know that. But I can't uproot the kids," I say quickly, feeling compelled to let him know what I would give up for him.

"Baby, I don't want you to. I love them, too, you know. I want them happy and secure. I want _you_ happy and secure."

"Are you sure you want to leave LA?" I ask.

"There's not even a question about that, Bella. I told you last summer that I was ready to get out of this town. Honestly, I was thinking about moving back to Forks or Port Angeles before I saw you again. After that first week with you, I knew I would end up in Seattle eventually, but I was afraid I'd scare you off if I pulled up and moved two weeks after we started dating again."

I chuckle lightly. "I was afraid I'd scare you off if I told you I wanted you to move to Seattle."

He shakes his head minutely at me, smiling softly, the laugh lines around his eyes crinkling up like they do when he's really happy. "What a couple of idiots we were," he muses. "No more hiding our feelings, okay?"

I nod. "Okay," I say. I look into his green eyes and smile. He leans in to kiss me gently, the scruff on his upper lip tickling me a little. He rests his forehead against mine as he pulls his lips from mine. "So you're moving." I couldn't wipe the wide grin off my face if I tried.

He's grinning, too. "Yep, I'm moving. I'll have to come to LA once or twice a month, but the rest of the time, you won't be able to get rid of me. Is that going to be okay with you?"

I kiss him quickly twice before I answer. "Edward, it's so much more than okay with me. I can't wait. Between you and Gramps, today is turning out to be one of the best days I've had in a long time – maybe ever." I grab one of his hands and clasp it between both of mine, sitting back in my seat to smile at him.

Will you help me find a place to live?" he asks.

"Of course. Do you know where in the city you want to be?"

"I don't really care. I only have one requirement. It has to be close to you, Bella."

"I wish you could just move in with me, but…" I let my voice trail off.

"Someday," he says, squeezing my hand.

"Someday," I agree, smiling and sniffling, understanding what we've both just declared, but what we both realize would be premature at this point.

He doesn't move away from me when our food arrives. Instead, we sit close together, legs touching under the table, arms and hands touching each other often.

When we're finished, we walk back to the hospital slowly, our arms wrapped around each other talking about the week we just endured…the misery, the fear and, now, the happiness. I tell him that Tyler is my new assistant, watching his face intently for any signs of distress, but seeing none. He looks genuinely pleased and compliments me on my choice – and my manipulation of Jake, getting him to give Tyler up.

His face does show distress when I tell him that I think James and Jessica plotted to get us to fight at the bar. I tell him I'm going to handle it and I would like him to stay on the sidelines…for now. He wants me to promise that I will let him know what's going on and ask for his help if I need it. Smiling up at him, I promise.

Right outside the entrance to the hospital, we stop and face each other. He bends down to kiss me, but I don't kiss him back.

"Baby? What's wrong?" he asks, concerned.

"I'm worried. We fought about a lot of shit last weekend and now we've talked for two hours and it's all fixed? It can't be that easy," I say, frowning up at him.

"Why not, Bella? I think it absolutely can be that easy. It doesn't mean that we won't have to work at it, but after what I went through this week, how I felt thinking I'd lost you again and then almost losing Aro, my perspective has shifted."

"Mine, too," I agree, nodding.

"I'm sure we'll have ups and downs, but I love you and that's not going to change. And I'm not afraid of scaring you off anymore," he laughs.

"Oh, hell. This means you're going to tell me _everything_ now, right?" I tease, instantly feeling better.

"Yep. I expect to hear everything from you, too," he says, smiling and bending to kiss me again. This time I kiss back.

I'm starting to believe that it can be exactly this easy.

* * *

When we get back to the ICU, the nurse grudgingly lets us in to see Aro, although she complains that he's had too many visitors and isn't getting the rest his body needs. We promise not to wake him if he's asleep. In his room, we find him dozing, so Edward and I sit – Edward in Heidi's recliner, me perched on the armrest – and watch him. After a while, Edward takes my hand and starts writing things on my palm with the index finger of his other hand.

'Stay with me tonight?'

I nod. He puts an arm around my waist and squeezes gently. I rest an arm around his shoulders.

'Order in?'

I nod again.

'You're tired'

I smile and kiss the top of his head gently, silently.

'Kiss me again'

He looks up at me and, smiling, I bend down to kiss him, immediately moving my other hand to gently scrape through his jaw scruff. I lick along the seam of his lips until he opens for me, then I move my tongue gently against his.

A loud tapping noise causes us to pull apart abruptly, both of us looking for the source of the insistent noise. It's Aro, of course. Awake now and banging his marker against the side of the dry erase board. He writes something quickly then raises the board our way so we can read what he's written.

'About goddamn time!'

We both laugh and Gramps wheezes a little with his otherwise silent chuckle. I tell him he'd better be nice since we're the only visitors he has right now. When he frowns, I tell him that Heidi's gone to nap and get some of his things from their condo. He nods before yawning again.

"You need to rest, Gramps," I say softly. He shakes his head and starts writing again. He points to Edward as he holds the sign up toward us.

'Moving?'

Edward laughs out loud.

"Yes, Aro. I'm moving to Seattle so I can see Bella every day until she's sick of me," he answers. Aro writes again, not even letting Edward finish talking.

'My idea'

Edward laughs and I look over at him with one eyebrow raised. "Oh, really?" I ask, teasingly.

"Sort of. I wanted to move already. Aro just suggested I approach the partners with the idea of a Seattle office. I would have quit and moved anyway, baby. It's time," he says, looking up at me. Aro's writing again. He's such a busybody – an adorable, cupid-y, busybody.

'The other thing we talked about?'

"Working on it, Aro. Don't push," Edward answers, leveling a steady stare at Gramps. Gramps stares right back. "Old Man, don't think just because you're in a bed with rails that you're going to get your way about everything."

'I almost died'

He looks at us pitifully, clearly trying to play Edward to get whatever it is he wants. We both laugh at his audacity and morbid sense of humor.

"Okay, boys, that's enough. Either tell me what the hell you're talking about or knock it off," I say.

"We're going to knock it off. You don't need to worry about this stuff, baby," he says to me, then turns to Gramps. "And you, mind your own business. We're on the same page."

Aro can't resist writing one more thing.

'That was my idea, too'

* * *

When Aro dozes off again, Edward suggests that we go back to his apartment and since I'm having a hard time staying awake, I agree. We write Aro a note on his board telling him we'll be back tomorrow.

I can barely stay awake during the short ride to Edward's. We hold hands and I look at him through my half-closed eyelids, astounded that soon I'm going to get to see him every day. Every day! I smile sleepily.

I yawn over and over on the elevator ride up to his apartment and sincerely hope we don't run into Kate in the hall today. I've got no energy for snark at the moment. Fortunately, the hallway is deserted, so I take the opportunity to feel up Edward's ass while he's unlocking the door. I start to slide my hands around to the front, but he totally cockblocks me by grabbing my arms and turning to face me.

Chuckling, he turns to look at me. "Slow down, Trigger. We've got plenty of time." He bends down to kiss me and pulls me inside the open door.

I pull back to look at him. "Did you just call me by a horse's name?" I ask, frowning at him.

"Yeah, I was pretty sure that one wasn't going to pass," he states with a smile, letting go of me and walking to the fridge to get each of us a bottle of water.

"You think, smartypants? You think any girl wants to be called the same name as a fucking horse?" I ask, opening the water and turning away from him to face the kitchen counter.

"Of course not, Bella. I'm sorry. Baby, why don't you take a nap? I'll call your parents and the kids for you and let them know what's going on," he suggests, wrapping his arms around me from behind.

Am I extra irritable because I'm so tired? Judging by the way he's coddling me, the answer must be yes. Okaaaay, Bella, time to tame the inner bitch.

"You're not napping?" I ask, turning in his arms to look at him. I smile at him and wrap my arms around his neck.

"No, I think I can make it 'til later. I'll probably work a little while you rest," he says. That sucks. I was counting on a 'nap' after my nap. He's right, though. I can barely hold myself upright. I'll feel much better after a few hours of sleep.

I kiss him and tell him I'd appreciate him making the phone call – Chase would probably like to talk to him more than me anyway. He walks me back to his bedroom.

"Don't let me sleep too long, okay? Wake me in a couple of hours," I say, then collapse on his bed. He covers me up and closes the blinds to block out the late afternoon sun. I am half asleep by the time he leans down to kiss my temple and don't hear him leave the room at all.

* * *

"Baby, wake up for a minute and tell me what you'll eat," he whispers, kissing down my cheek and across my jaw. His whiskers tickle me and I giggle quietly as I emerge from the fog of the deep sleep I was in.

"Comfort food," I slur sleepily, putting my arms around Edward's neck to hold him to me.

"Like meatloaf and mashed potatoes comfort or greasy burgers and fries comfort?" he says, rubbing his scruff back and forth against my jaw now.

"Burgers, fries….Edward," I say, desire racing through me at finally being in such close proximity to him…alone…for the first time in days.

"Hmmm, baby? What do you want?" he asks teasingly. He knows exactly what I want when I arch my back toward him the way I am right now.

"Edward," I say again, pulling his mouth to mine. We kiss for several minutes, then he pulls away, sitting back up.

"Bella, I want nothing more than to get in this bed with you, but I want to feed you first. I have big plans for you later," he says, smiling down at me in the dim light.

I laugh lightly. "Okay, we'll postpone for a little while. Can I take a shower?"

"Of course, baby. Just take whatever clothes you need," he answers, getting up from the bed and offering a hand to pull me up.

I take a long, hot shower, thinking about how the last 24 hours have been a complete turnaround. I got my boyfriend and my Gramps back. My boyfriend is moving to be closer to me. And we tacitly declared our intentions to get married someday. Last night I cried in this shower. Today I giggle a little.

I hear the door to the bathroom open.

"Baby, are you okay? You've been in there a long time," Edward says. I open the door enough to peek around the side, still grinning like a crazy person.

"I'm good, honey. Happy," I say. He steps over to kiss me and I start to pull him in with me, but I'm cockblocked again by the doorbell.

"Food," he says, kissing me once more then winking at me as he leaves and closes the door behind him.

I get out and put on the boxers and t-shirt I nabbed from his dresser, then head for the kitchen. We eat our delicious and totally bad for us food, chatting about the kids – he talked to Chase, which makes him smile – and about how long I'm staying. I think I'll go home Sunday and then return here Thursday night to check on Aro. Now that I know our weekend-only-city-hopping is going to come to an end, I don't feel bad about leaving the kids to spend a few of them down here.

Carlisle and Esme call while we're cleaning up the kitchen and Edward puts them on speaker so I can listen in when he tells them he's moving. Esme is openly crying after a minute and since no one cries alone if I'm around, I start crying, too. Edward hugs me tightly and chuckles and judging by the muffled conversation we're overhearing, a similar scenario is happening in Forks.

I get it together enough to ask Esme if we're still on for lunch next Wednesday – our regular lunches with Rose have expanded to include Alice (and usually Paloma) now – and she enthusiastically says yes.

"We've got so much to celebrate now, Bella. And a lot of planning to do for Edward's move," she asserts.

"Whoa, Mom. I'm 30, I think I can plan my own move," Edward interjects, rolling his eyes at me.

"Yes, darling, I'm sure. But it will go so much more smoothly if I plan it – with the girls' help, of course," Esme laughs. Edward agrees, laughing with his mom, but wants veto power, to which Esme readily agrees.

I have a feeling if Edward said he was going to backpack and hitchhike his way up to Seattle, Esme would readily agree. But I don't share that with Edward. He knows, of course, how much it will mean to his family for him to move closer…Alice nags him about it constantly. Yikes. I do not want to be on speaker when he tells her….I'll be able to hear the shrieking just fine without it. I imagine half of Forks will hear the shrieking.

After we hang up, I compliment Edward on the way he took his mother's pushiness in stride.

"Well, I've learned over time that fighting Esme is like trying to cross a riptide. It's easier to let her have her way about some of this shit," he says, shrugging. "I really only care about the end result, anyway. I just want to be where you are."

"Aw….are you trying to get me hot and bothered, SG?" I ask, smiling up at him and squeezing around his waist.

"Trying? No. But I'm not going to be upset if that's a side effect," he laughs, hugging me back and kissing my temple. When he moves his lips to my ear, I shiver and break out in goose bumps. He rubs my bumpy arm as he continues talking. "I think I'd better call Emmett and Alice first, though. Mom will be dying to tell them and if they hear it from her and not me, they'll be pissed."

I agree and happily sit next to him on the couch as he makes the phone calls – Emmett first because otherwise Alice will call him before Edward gets the chance. Yep. She's that fast hitting the digits. If there was a competitive dialing league, Alice would be the champ.

I can hear Emmett yelling at Edward after Edward tells him.

"NO! Not yet…you were supposed to wait until after Christmas! Fuck! Don't you care about your big brother at all? Shit, Rose has me by the balls for the next six months, now," he complains. Edward and I both laugh and I hesitantly tell him that I knew about Emmett and Rosalie's bet…but not what was at stake.

We end up on speakerphone with them, Rosalie gleefully taunting Emmett as we all laugh.

"Sorry, Emmett. I didn't realize your balls were on the line – or I would have tried to deter Edward," I say insincerely.

"Don't try to make me feel better, Stinkerbell. I know you're lying anyway. You want my brother around 24/7. The Cullen men are irresistible that way," he laughs. "And it's a small price to pay to have my brother back within shouting distance."

Rosalie and I both say "aww" at the display of brotherly affection, until Emmett ruins it.

"E, if that doesn't get us both hot pieces of ass tonight, nothing will," he stage whispers, barely containing his laughter long enough to get the words out. We hang up soon after, agreeing to all get together soon.

"I need to get ear plugs before you call Al," I say, leaning over to kiss him.

"Are we speaking to Jazz or not?" Edward asks, looking playfully at me.

I punch his arm lightly. "Of course we are. He's family. I'm sure Alice made him pay, anyway. In a twisted way, we're lucky we have all these kidnappers and interlopers who try to watch out for us." Edward agrees and leaves the speakerphone on, but turns the volume down…way down.

"Edward Anthony Masen Cullen, if you are calling to tell me that you fucked things up with my best friend again, I will seriously freaking kill you," she yells when she picks up.

"Damn, Alice. What the fuck ever happened to hello?" Edward asks, laughing.

"Okay, you're laughing…so either you worked things out with Bella or you're fucking drunk again," she muses.

"I'm not drunk," Edward announces.

And the shrieking begins.

Edward can hardly shut her up long enough to tell her that he's moving. But when he does, we are met with the strangest sound.

Silence.

Like a full minute of uninterrupted Alice silence. Edward and I exchange puzzled looks and shrugs.

"Are you kidding? Because I will cut you if you're toying with my emotions this way," she finally whispers, sounding eerily calm.

"I'm not kidding, Al. I'm moving to Seattle," he says soothingly.

"When?" she demands, still unemotional, calm.

"I don't know…by the end of the year. It depends how fast we can find office space and get set up. Al, in all honesty, you're freaking me out. How come you're not screaming?" he asks.

She doesn't answer. It sounds like the phone drops and I hear muffled crying. Edward and I stare at each other in amazement. He rakes his hand through his hair roughly a couple of times. This was not the reaction either of us expected from Alice.

"Hello? Who is this?" Jasper asks.

Edward answers him and tells Jasper what he just told Alice. Jasper congratulates Edward, says he's happy for us, then asks if I'm listening, too. I say hi, but nothing else.

"Edward…Bella, I need to apologize for what I did. I shouldn't have butted in or should have at least bothered to find out what the hell I was talking about before I did," he drawls. We both tell him we accept his apology and Edward even tells him he thinks it was good for our relationship in a roundabout way.

I don't feel quite that generous. But I smile at Edward and resolve to keep my mouth shut until a little time passes and I can fully forgive Jasper.

Edward continues, "Besides, you've lived with Alice too long to be anything but a nosy, loudmouth buttinski." We all laugh at that.

When Alice is composed enough to get back on the phone, she weepily tells Edward and me how much she loves both of us. We tell her we'll call later this weekend and hang up, smiling crazily at each other.

Yawning, Edward stretches his arms up over his head, then pulls me to his chest.

"I can't wait until I can do this every night," he murmurs into my hair.

"We can go on real dates," I say excitedly. "No more trying to fit everything in two nights a week."

I grab hold of his neck and pull his lips to mine. He slides both of his hands into my hair and holds my mouth against his as he moves his tongue against mine. After a couple of minutes, we're both breathing hard and I have my hand up under his shirt, raking across his lower abs.

"Baby?" he asks.

"Edward, please," I say.

"Are you sure? I don't want you to think I'm not concerned about getting the other stuff right, too."

"SG, please stop overthinking and take me to your bed. I want you…I need you…I love you," I plead, looking into his eyes.

He stands up and reaches a hand down for me. We walk hand in hand, side by side, to his room. He pulls off his t-shirt and then mine, then dives in to kiss me, our bare chests meeting. By the time he kisses down my neck a few minutes later, I'm grabbing at the fly of his jeans, trying to get them unbuttoned with one hand, because I refuse to release the hold my other hand has on his hair.

As his hot mouth gets near one breast, one nipple, he sneaks one hand up the leg of the boxers I'm wearing and glides his fingers over my clit.

"Ohmygod….Edward," I moan, letting my head fall back in an arch.

He pushes a finger and then two inside me, still gliding over my clit with his thumb.

"Bella, baby, I need you," he says hoarsely against my chest.

"Please," I beg. I guess that really is the magic word because as soon as I utter it, he pulls his mouth away from my chest and moves his hands to my hips, roughly pushing the boxers away and giving me a gentle nudge toward the bed. I crawl onto the bed while watching him take off his jeans and boxers.

When he lays down on the bed, I push him onto his back and immediately straddle him.

"I don't want to wait anymore, okay?" I ask, grabbing his hands.

"Okay, Bella. Whatever you want," he answers.

"SG…all I want is you…always," I say sincerely, leaning forward to kiss him sweetly.

I lift up and take one pair of our joined hands down to position him against me. I feel the sob coming and am powerless to stop it. It comes out as I sink down onto him.

"Fuck, Bella, I love you so much. Please don't cry, baby," he says, squeezing my hands.

"I love you, too," I answer, smiling down at him and raising our joined hands to my mouth to kiss his hand.

"Good. Baby, you feel fucking incredible."

"So do you. I want it fast. Is that okay?"

"Jesus…fuck yeah," he answers.

He bends his elbows, resting them on the bed and letting me use his hands for leverage to move myself on him. I already feel like I'm going pretty fast when he begs me to go even faster. He's right, though, it's even better. As I speed up, he takes our joined hands and moves them to my clit and, together, we rub and flick until I come on top of him. My orgasm pushes him toward his and I feel him jerk and pulse inside of me and buck underneath me as he calls my name loudly.

When we both recover somewhat, he sits up to kiss me and hold me tight. He gently lays us down on our sides facing each other. We are both smiling sleepily.

"I guess you could call me Trigger since I just sexed you to what sounded like a pretty good ending," I say arrogantly, smirking at him. "But only for tonight because I really freaking hate it."

"I don't want to call you something you hate...Angel," he says.

"Nah, too sweet. I'm definitely no angel," I laugh.

"Baby cakes?"

I shake my head and continue laughing. "Nope, SG."

"Picky, picky. I'm going to get it right one of these days," he says determinedly.

"I know, baby. You will," I respond, reaching up to touch his beautiful face. Swallowing the tears when he grabs my hand and turns his head to kiss my palm sweetly.

"Bella, you…the kids….you guys are everything to me. I would do anything for you," he whispers, reaching over to trace my cheekbone with the backs of his fingers.

"I would do anything for you too, Edward," I say, leaning forward to kiss him.

"Anything?" he asks suggestively, winking at me.

"Anything," I reiterate.

"Shit, I'm too tired now, but can you remind me of that in the morning?" he asks, laughing against the top of my head as he pulls me into my favorite sleeping spot against his chest and moves his hand down to rest on my ass.

"Of course, SG, I'll remind you," I say, pretending to be exasperated. "Go to sleep. I love you. Goodnight."

The only answer I get is a soft snore and a reflexive clenching of the hand he has resting on my ass. I'll be damned if a little ass grab – even if it's a sleep-induced ass grab – isn't the best fucking way to fall asleep.

* * *

A/N: Thanks for reading - please review... :)


	28. Chapter 28

Disclaimer: I know you know it, but I don't own it.

* * *

People I've loved  
I have no regrets  
Some I remember  
Some I forget  
Some of them living  
Some of them dead  
All I want is to be home

* * *

Saturday morning Edward and I stay in bed, both of us exhausted from stress and lack of sleep. It's past ten o'clock before we do more than use the bathroom and then snuggle back in. After spending the week without him, I feel like I can't get close enough to him now. I keep my arms wrapped around him, my legs tangled with his. I lose count of how many kisses I place on his chest, his neck, his face. Every time we shift position we both whisper "I love you". It's a little sickening how mushy we're being, but hey, we're just mushy and sickening like that right now. Almost losing the love of your life will do that to you. Getting the love of your life back will do that to you. Incredible make up sex will do that to you.

I force my eyes open when I hear Edward quietly talking on the phone. He's sitting on the side of the bed with his head bent forward and one hand raking through his hair again and again. In a blind panic, I sit up and crawl across the bed toward him. He turns to me and puts a hand out for me to grab.

"That's great, Heidi. Bella will be thrilled to hear that Aro's doing so well," he says, looking into my eyes. I slump bonelessly back to the bed, clutching Edward's hand over the top of my racing heart. I half-listen as Edward tells her we'll be there in a couple of hours and asks if there's anything they need. He hangs up and scoots back into bed beside me.

"Sorry, babe. I should have gone in the other room when Heidi called," he says, pulling me back into his arms.

"I was just scared to see you sitting up and messing with your hair. You usually only do that if you're upset or pissed," I say, wrapping an arm across his waist.

"Or if I'm highly aroused by my warm, naked, sleeping girlfriend but stuck on the phone," he says.

"Hey, that's my Gram you're talking about," I huff, tugging lightly on his chest hair.

"Oh, you think you have free rein with Heidi now, too?" he says, laughing at me. He rolls over, trapping me beneath him, pushing my legs apart with his to settle in between them.

I think he's still talking but I have no idea what he's saying. I am too busy kissing his neck and rubbing my feet up and down his calves. He groans and pushes his hips against mine. He scoots down in the bed to trail his lips down my neck and over my upper chest before moving down to my breasts.

"We should get up," I say breathily.

"I know, but I'd rather stay here all day with you," he says, kissing a path across my chest from one side to the other.

"Me, too, but I also want to see Gramps," I say, putting my fingers under his jaw and lifting until he looks up at me.

"Gramps it is. But tonight, it's just us, Bella, okay?" he asks, smiling, scooting back up to kiss me gently on the lips.

"Mmhmm. Edward?" I murmur against his lips.

"Baby?"

"If we hurry, we have time for shower sex before we go," I say, smiling.

"I love the way you think," he says, laughing. He stands and pulls me out of bed, too. "My girlfriend is brilliant!" he announces loudly, as if someone besides me will hear him. I shake my head at him and lead him to the bathroom where I show him just exactly how brilliant I can be.

* * *

When we get to the hospital, Aro is kicking up a ruckus in his room. His nurse confiscated the enormous chocolate milkshake that Demetri brought to him. Aro still can't speak above a whisper, but he is whisper-yelling and banging his marker on the side of his dry erase board as he faces off with the nurse. Heidi and Demetri are standing near the window trying not to laugh.

As a newly-minted granddaughter, I feel it's my obligation to take over the bullying of Nurse Ratched who is still holding the Styrofoam cup out of Gramps' reach. I only get a couple of digs in – delighting in the way Gramps' eyes light up with pride – before Edward steps in between ol' Ratched and me. Okay, she's not old. She young and blonde and gorgeous and even manages to make the juvenile, teddy-bear-patterned scrubs look cute.

"Easy, killer," he murmurs to me, then turns his attention to her and starts negotiating. Immediately, I can see that he's going to get farther with her than either Gramps or I did. Stupid panty-melting smile. She'll probably hand over her phone number and apartment key, too, before the conversation is over.

She is wavering…smiling at him. I roll my eyes, but she's too busy looking at Edward's sex hair to notice me – or her patient – anymore. Go ahead, Ratched, keep eyeing the sex hair. I _gave_ him that sex hair.

Finally, with a blush, and a "I guess a little won't hurt," she gives the milkshake back and bats her eyes at my boyfriend. Fully irritated by this point, I start to step around him, but he puts his arm out and hooks it around my waist, pushing me back to my spot – mostly behind him. I huff and cross my arms. When I sneak a look at Gramps, he winks at me and holds the milkshake up like it's a trophy. I expect him to kiss the cup before he starts drinking again, but he doesn't. I can't help grinning at him when he takes a big swallow and sighs contentedly, though.

Ignoring my traitor boyfriend for the moment as he consorts with the enemy, I sit down on the side of the bed and talk quietly to Gramps. After several minutes, the nurse finally leaves and Edward comes to stand behind me, putting his hands on my shoulders. I toss a little evil eye over my shoulder, which makes him laugh.

"Coming after me now, too, killer?" he chuckles.

"Call me killer one more time and you'll find out," I say testily. He thinks I'm kidding, but I'm actually a little irritated. I jab him in the stomach with my elbow – not hard, but hard enough that he knows I'm not teasing.

"Bella, why don't we go get a coffee? We'll leave the men to their talk for a bit," Heidi says, standing up from where she was leaning against the window ledge and holding out a hand to me. I take it and skirt around Edward to leave the room, not looking back at him. I hear two distinct male laughs in the room behind me. If Gramps wasn't so hoarse, I'm sure it would have been three.

Heidi waits until we're seated in the cafeteria before she starts on me.

"So, Aro got promoted to Gramps, but I'm still plain, old Heidi?" she says, smiling at me.

"No, I want you, too," I reply grouchily. She laughs out loud and asks what I call her in my head. "Gram," I answer, smiling softly down at the table. I can't look her in the eye until I know if she likes it or not.

"Perfect," she says. I look up at her, still smiling, and find her smiling back at me. "Can you get me one of those ridiculous #1 Grandma coffee mugs for Christmas?"

I laugh out loud, my bad mood dissolving quickly, and nod at her.

I tell her about Edward moving to Seattle – she doesn't say 'told you so', even though she did tell me in August that she thought this would happen. She asks if I'm happy about the turn of events this week.

I nod and try to keep the tears at bay. "Yes, very happy. I was afraid I'd lost him again, but now it's completely turned around in my favor. I love him so much. He healed me."

"Bullshit."

"Gram! Language," I scold teasingly, gasping and laughing.

"I'm serious, Bella. Stop selling yourself short. You healed yourself. He might have helped you along, or made you want to finally heal, but you, darling, finally pulled yourself up and started really living again. That was all you, sweetheart. You've built yourself quite a life," she says, smiling at me and reaching across the table to grasp my hand. I smile at her through the tears in my eyes.

"Thanks, Gram," I manage to say.

"Now tell me why you're so angry with my….grandson? I assume this grandparent thing covers Edward, too?"

I laugh and sniff, laughing harder when she hands me a kleenex, just like a real grandma.

"It's his stupid beautiful face and his stupid panty-melting smile. He's not supposed to be using the panty-melting smile on anyone except me anymore, but he used it on Ratched upstairs. And that's not even the worst part. The worst part is that it works…every time he uses it. Women just bat their eyelashes and giggle when he's around," I grumble, rolling my eyes when Heidi has to dab at her eyes with her hankie because she's laughing so hard.

"I imagine that's one reason he loves you so much, Bella. You don't let him get away with it. It doesn't work on you," Heidi begins.

"Oh, yes it does. I haven't had dry panties since July," I say, then gasp and cover my mouth with both hands in embarrassment.

"There are just some things a grandma can't comment on. That statement is one of those things," she answers with a twinkle in her eye. She clears her throat before she continues. "However, if we had had this conversation a couple of days ago, I would have agreed that Edward does seem to know the power his smile wields over the opposite sex. And he does sometimes use it to his advantage. But he loves _you_. He's moving to be near _you_. So maybe cut him a little slack today. All right?"

"All right, Gram," I say with a heavy sigh. We move on to other subjects as we finish our coffee, talking about my kids, Edward's move and, of course, Gramps and his recovery.

Eventually we head back to Aro's room where we sit for the rest of the afternoon, listening to Heidi tell stories about their younger years: crazy vacations they took, the Hollywood stars they ran around with decades ago, some of the prolific authors they met and befriended. Gramps interjects whispered or written comments that usually make us laugh. They have had an incredible life together and more than once I find myself looking over at Edward and hoping we get many more decades to enjoy the life we're building.

In the late afternoon, Gramps is getting sleepy, so Edward and I get up to leave. I tell him I'll be back next weekend and kiss him and Heidi goodbye, fighting back tears.

As soon as we're in the elevator descending to the main floor of the hospital, Edward reaches for me and pulls me to his chest.

"I love you, killer," he whispers, pressing a kiss to the top of my head.

"I love you, too, but stop calling me killer," I answer, resting my cheek against his chest and hugging him tightly. "And I'm not complaining, but what brought this on?"

He chuckles and then I feel him shrug his shoulders before he answers me. "I enjoyed the afternoon with Aro and Heidi, but nothing beats this feeling…how I feel when I'm hanging on to you and you're hanging on to me."

I pull my head away from his chest to smile up at him. "Really, SG? How exactly does it make you feel?" I ask, shifting my hands from around his waist to around his neck.

"It makes me feel like I'm home, Bella. No matter where I am, if I'm with you, I feel like I'm home," he answers softly, sincerely. Then he smiles at me.

Stupid panty-melter.

* * *

Sunday when I get back to Seattle, the fairy godmothers are lying in wait. I can tell by the looks on their faces that they've been tipped off.

"Who told?" I ask when I walk in the kitchen and see them seated at my counter.

"Who told what?" MK asks innocently. "We're just babysitting so your parents could go to the grocery store for you."

I attempt my James glare, but, quite frankly, I am too freaking happy to pull it off well.

"At the risk of getting my boyfriend in big trouble, it was Demetri. But, in an attempt to get my boyfriend out of trouble, let me explain that he didn't tell me anything except that you would have something to tell me and that I should bring the sidekicks," Emma says.

"Hey!" MK and Angela both protest.

"Sorry, poor choice of words. He said I should bring the other bitches who interfere in your life, too. I assumed he meant these two," Em says, laughing. Angela flips her off and MK sticks out her tongue before we all start laughing.

"So spit it out and then we'll have drinks," Angela bribes. She's trying to entice me with the promise of alcohol…and it's totally going to work. It's been a hell of a week.

"Okay. Time out. Give me five minutes to talk to the kids and then I'll be back," I say, heading for the stairs to find the kids.

By the time I get back downstairs a few minutes later, I've told the kids that Edward's moving and they all seem happy about it. Or at least not unhappy. Michael doesn't have much of a reaction, but coming from a pre-adolescent boy, I'm guessing that's a tacit blessing. Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Angela has been doling out the cocktail delights. She hands me a glass as soon as I walk back in.

"What's it called?" I ask hesitantly. Lord knows what she came up with this time.

"Make up sex," she says, smirking at me. MK and Emma are trying not to laugh. I take a sip, groaning quietly at how good it tastes.

"So, how _was_ the make up sex?" Emma asks, raising her eyebrows at me. I know she means the real stuff, not the cocktail, but one word describes both.

"Fanfuckingtastic," I answer.

* * *

The next month passes quickly and suddenly Thanksgiving is here. The Cullens are driving in to spend it with us, and then Edward, Jasper, Alice, Emmett, Rosalie and I are all flying down to LA to pack Edward for the move…and have a little fun adult time. Emmett and Jasper are staying to drive up to Seattle with Edward. That was Esme's idea. She said the boys needed some bonding time.

Thanksgiving is noisy and fun. Everyone seems to enjoy it…especially me. I haven't had a turkey day this great since I was a senior in high school, which – not coincidentally – was also the last time I spent it with the Cullens.

After dinner, Edward drives his parents and Alice over to show them the apartment he's leasing. They can't get in to the actual apartment yet, but at least they'll have an idea where he will be…and how close to me he'll be. It's exactly two point two miles…big selling point for the Cedar Ridge apartments in my book.

As Rosalie and my mom help me clean up the kitchen, they start guessing how long it will be before Edward either moves in with me or we get engaged. They are ignoring my irritated huffing and sighing and continuing to talk about it like I'm not standing right here.

"Before Easter for sure," my mom says. "She'll definitely have a ring by then."

"I don't know. Maybe they'd rather just live together. Bella? Would you rather just live together?" Rosalie asks. The amusement in her voice clues me in – she knows she's ticking me off.

"Jesus, never thought I'd see the day that the cold-hearted ice princess was more nosy and annoying than the tiny buttinski," I mutter under my breath. Rose is standing close enough that she hears every word though.

"I guess that means she doesn't want to just live with him," she laughs. I cringe when I hear my mother laughing, too.

"No, Bella is pretty traditional in that sense," she opines. I roll my eyes and scrub the counter extra hard.

"Well, Edward's big on dates that mean something, so it wouldn't surprise me if he's waiting until his birthday or the anniversary of the date they met again," Rosalie says. "He's kind of a sentimental fool about that kind of stuff. But he'll definitely propose by that July date. What was the date when you two met again, Bella?" She turns to look at me, smiling, then panics when she sees the tears running down my face.

"Don't rush us!" I exclaim, sniffling as they both come over to me to hug me.

"Oh, Bella, I'm sorry. We're just discussing – throwing out ideas. We didn't mean to upset you," my mom defends.

"I know, but people are constantly in between us, trying to tell us what to do. Please, please, let us figure this part out ourselves. It's important to me," I plead. Wide-eyed, they both nod at me. We hug again and then I pull away and we all get back to our tasks.

"And Rose?" I ask, continuing to dry the china and set it on the island to be packed back up. "Absolutely no bets!" She laughs, saying that she doesn't think Emmett will bet her anything about Edward anymore before kissing my cheek sweetly.

* * *

Friday morning, the six of us fly to LA.

"So, Bella, pretty snazzy plane you've got here," Emmett says once we're airborne.

"Thanks, Emmett. It's not mine, though," I say, embarrassed. It's convenient to fly on the company plane, but it also makes me feel pretentious.

"Rose, I bet Bella wouldn't mind if we joined the mile high club in her jet," Emmett says. Rosalie smacks Emmett across the back of the head as the guys snicker and Alice and I groan.

"What? I bet Edward and Bella have done it in this plane," he reasons.

Everyone looks at us. I feel myself turning red…Edward is, too. I scoot closer to him on the bench seat and bury my face in his shoulder. He kisses the top of my head.

"Oh my god, you guys really have done it in the plane, haven't you? I was kidding, but damn. Way to go, Edward," Emmett says, impressed. He holds his fist out for Edward to bump, but Edward just rolls his eyes and shakes his head in Emmett's direction.

Alice and Rosalie are laughing at us. Jasper is very politely reading his newspaper and trying not to laugh.

Jasper and I are still lukewarm around each other, but both of us are trying. I've forgiven him, and I think he's forgiven me for everything that happened years ago, but it's still awkward.

"I'm sorry my brother is so fucking clueless, baby," Edward whispers to me.

"It's okay. I'm normally amused by him. And I don't regret what we did, SG," I say, looking up at him and smiling.

"I don't regret anything that's happened since July, Bella. Not one thing," he says, smiling back at me. I reach up and kiss him until Emmett throws a pillow at us and makes a joke about us disappearing into the lavatory. We all laugh when Edward, Alice and Jasper all throw pillows back at him – and Emmett laughs the hardest.

* * *

When we land, we get two cabs to drive us to Edward's apartment. Girls in one cab, boys in the other.

"So, Bella, you and Edward are more adventurous than I imagined," Rosalie says as soon as we're on our way.

"Rose, I am not discussing my sex life with you," I state firmly.

"Okay. We'll get you drunk and then ask you," she laughs.

"I still won't tell," I say.

"Maybe not, but you'll blush, so we'll know when we get it right," Rosalie laughs. Yeah, even I have to agree, that'll probably work.

"I don't bug you about your sex life," I grumble.

"That's because I'm married and boring. I am living vicariously through you," she says.

"I do not want to discuss this at all. It's gross for me to even think about…my brother and my best friend. Yuck!" Alice says emphatically.

We all giggle and are still laughing when we pull up in front of Edward's apartment building. We get out to wait for the guys since all the luggage is in their cab. While we're waiting, my bff Kate comes out the front doors of the building, takes one look at me and marches right up to where I'm standing.

"Hi, Kate," I say smugly. I'm sure she knows by now that Edward's moving out next week.

"You are such a little bitch. I can't believe you would force Edward to move away from his job and all his friends, just so he can hold the hand of his needy little girlfriend," she spits at me.

"Yeah, you're right, Kate. It's all because I'm so clingy," I say.

"I heard you have a whole posse of kids, too. Trying to trap Edward into playing daddy to your little brats?" she says, looking me up and down condescendingly.

I start to respond, but Rosalie steps in front of me. "Oh my God, you are exactly as big a skank as Edward said. Picking on kids? You're an obnoxious witch!"

"Kate, do you have a candy cottage in the woods with a big-ass oven inside?" Alice interjects, stepping in front of me, too, to stand next to Rose.

"You do remember what happens at the end of that story, don't you?" Rose says as she and Alice start stalking toward Kate. "The kids corner the witch at the oven and push…her…in." Rosalie has her hand on Kate's shoulder now, giving a tiny shove between each word.

Kate looks legitimately scared now, and she should. Rosalie has softened since high school, but she still terrifies me about half the time. I hear a whistle from behind us and turn to see the guys getting out of their cab and pulling luggage from the trunk.

"Hey, babe," Rosalie calls, waving to her whistling husband.

When I turn back around, Kate is scurrying away, the word 'baby' on her ass tilting to the left and right as she escapes up the street. Rose, Alice and I look at each other and burst out laughing, doubling over.

"What the fuck just happened? Did we miss a catfight?" Emmett whines.

"Nah, Em. Knowing Kate, she probably ran as soon as Rose bitchfaced her," Edward says, causing Rosalie to scowl at him. He holds his hands up in surrender. "Sorry, Rose, but you know you have one scary bitchface when you want to. I say that as a brother-in-law and a frequent recipient of said bitchface." She smiles at him and even chuckles a bit.

"What about me? I helped, too," Alice insists.

"Aw, baby, you're more like a kitten," Jasper says to his wife, then backtracks when he sees the look on her face. "A really fucking scary kitten," he finishes, smiling when she nods at him approvingly. The guys start heading inside with our luggage, so I turn back to the girls.

"Thanks, guys, but really, you didn't have to stick up for me with Kate," I say, intending to tell them I can fight my own battles.

"Of course we did, Bella," Alice says.

"You're family," Rose finishes.

* * *

That afternoon, Edward and I go visit Aro and Heidi. Aro's made a lot of progress, but still isn't quite back up to full speed. We invite them to Seattle for Christmas and, surprisingly, they agree to come. I feel better knowing I'll see them again in only a month and am in a great mood when we get back to Edward's apartment to start packing.

We divide the packing jobs by room: Alice, Rose and I start to pack the kitchen, Emmett and Jasper pack the living room shelves and Edward is working in his spare room which doubles as his home office. We all have beers and Jasper has the radio on and turned up loud enough that we can't hear what they're talking about in the other room and I'm sure they can't hear us talking about sex in the kitchen.

"I'm just saying that over time, it's different. It's nice in some ways because we're totally comfortable with each other, but I miss the spontaneity. I miss that feeling of 'I've got to have it right now'," Rose says.

"I miss it, too," Alice says. "And we have to be so quiet if the kids are awake."

"Oh my god, my freaking ears are bleeding! Can you guys please quit talking about this?" I beg, then pick my beer up and drain it. As I go to the fridge to grab another for each of us, I hear Rose huff behind me.

"Why can't we talk about this, Bella?" she asks, clearly irritated with me. I quickly turn around to answer her.

"Because it's like looking into a crystal ball. I love my sex life with Edward and I don't want to hear how boring it's going to be in the years to come," I say loudly so they can hear me over the radio…which has suddenly gone quiet. The entire apartment is silent…I know everyone heard what I said and I can feel the blush heating my neck and face. Alice and Rose are even speechless, staring open-mouthed at me. I expect a smart-ass remark from Emmett, so I'm surprised when it's Edward I hear call out from the guest room.

"I love our sex life, too, baby. I promise I'll never let it get boring, okay? Now someone turn the fucking radio back on," he hollers.

Someone does. The radio is blaring again in a matter of seconds. Rose, Alice and I all look at each other.

"Sheesh, Rose. We didn't even have to get her drunk before she started embarrassing herself," Alice says, smiling slightly at me before she turns back to the box she's packing.

"Yup. Bella, you sure do have a way with words. And Alice, you know our husbands are going to try to prove how spontaneous and unboring they are now, right? We'll probably have to fight them off in the bar bathroom tonight," Rose predicts. I ignore her and go back to packing.

Eventually, we start talking and laughing again. But we stay completely away from the subject of sex…for once.

An hour and a half and three beers later, we are getting giggly in the kitchen. But we are almost done with everything we can pack until Sunday morning. I gasp loudly as I hear the song coming on the radio. Alice groans…she knows what's coming.

"Bellie!" Jasper calls to me from the other room.

"Jiffy! It's our song!" I answer, picking up my beer and running into the other room and grabbing Jasper's hand. Neither of us have used our high school nicknames for each other since….high school.

The song is 'It's the End of the World As We Know It' and Jasper and I were obsessed with it, and R.E.M. in general, during senior year. We drove Edward and Alice batty for awhile with our love of all things Michael Stipe and company.

Jasper and I are totally lost in each other and the song, dancing around and singing to each other like fools. When the song is over, we hug before we notice four sets of eyes are watching us in what I can only imagine is horror from the kitchen.

"What?" Jasper and I say together, then break into laughter. Everyone else goes back to their packing jobs, but Jasper and I grab our almost-full beers and wander out to the balcony.

"So, I guess we should have talked earlier, but I am sorry about what happened last month…about my part in it," he starts.

"I know. You've apologized before and, in all honesty, it wasn't even remotely your fault. Edward and I had some trust and communication issues. We're fixing them now and that's in part to your credit. I hurt him – hurt all of you – in the past and I'm unbelievably sorry for that. I don't fault you for your loyalty to Edward. In fact, I appreciate it. I just hope that someday I'll be able to earn your loyalty back as well," I say.

"Aw, Bellie. That's a done deal. We're all so damn happy to have you back – and now we're getting Edward back, too. He's…I don't know if I should be telling you this…he was different after you left, Bella. He never really fully recovered until last summer. When you came to Forks last summer, I could see it in his eyes. Whatever was missing all those years was back," he says earnestly.

I smile widely at him and we hug again, then fall into easy conversation, just like old times. A few minutes later, everyone else comes to join us on the deck to watch the sunset. Edward comes to stand behind me, wrapping one arm around my waist.

"We should all make a toast – something we're thankful for. We never did it yesterday with all the chaos the entire Cullen family brings," Alice says. "I'll start. I'm thankful for old friends." She looks right at me, smiling, and I smile back before all six of us touch bottles in the middle of our circle and take a drink.

"I'm thankful for the kids…all of the Cullen, Whitlock and DiClemente kids," Rose says. We all clink and drink.

"I'm thankful for adult time away from all the Cullen, Whitlock and DiClemente kids," Emmett says. We all laugh as we clink bottles.

"I'm thankful that Emmett and Rosalie lost the coin toss and get the couch-bed for the weekend," Jasper says.

"I'm not. Emmett still sleeps in the nude. No one should have to see that shit first fucking thing in the morning," Edward quips, making us all laugh again.

I'm next. God, there are so many things I'm thankful for this year…and almost all of them happened since July. I'm thankful I saw Edward again and he forgave me. I'm thankful the Cullens welcomed me back so readily. I'm thankful my kids love Edward and vice versa. I'm thankful Aro and Heidi have agreed to be sucked into the vortex of my family.

"I'm thankful for second chances," I say quietly. "I got a lot of them this year…thanks in part to every one of you in this circle." Edward squeezes me with the arm he has around my waist as we all clink bottles. I turn my head to look back and up at him and he kisses me quickly before we sip our beers. Edward clears his throat before he begins.

"I'm last, huh? Well, I can honestly say that I've never before had as much to be thankful for as I do this year, so this will be a long one. I'm thankful for my family. I'm thankful for Bella and her family. I'm thankful that Aro decided to sell his company. I'm thankful that I felt compelled to protect him from the rich bitch who was buying his company and went with him to Seattle last July. I'm thankful that after this weekend I won't be racking up the frequent flyer miles quite so fast." He pauses as we all laugh quietly about the last two things he's thankful for.

"But, I think most of all, I'm thankful that Bella and I got into a huge fight all those years ago and broke up, then found each other again this year. I realize that sounds strange, and I don't know what would have happened if we hadn't left each other then, but I sure as hell know that the six of us wouldn't be standing here right now, watching the sunset together and having a beer. And I think this is a pretty perfect fucking place to be tonight," he finishes.

"Hear, hear," Emmett says as we all clink our bottles. I'm teary-eyed and Alice is openly crying. I think even Rosalie is sniffing, although she's trying to hide it.

The six of us stand on Edward's balcony talking for another twenty minutes, until the sun is completely down and dusk is quickly fading into night. Then Emmett says the words we all knew he'd say sooner or later.

"I'm fucking hungry. Let's go eat dinner and then get blitzed."

So we do.

* * *

A/N: July sucked. I'm glad it's over.

Thanks for reading...I really do appreciate it. Please review.


	29. Chapter 29

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.

* * *

Nothing you can know that isn't known  
Nothing you can see that isn't shown  
Nowhere you can be that isn't where you're meant to be  
It's easy

* * *

Christmas Eve morning, Angela and I are in my kitchen baking and talking…well, I'm baking and she's talking. Edward and the kids are out doing some last-minute shopping and then they're picking up Heidi and Aro at the airport.

The month since Thanksgiving has flown by. Edward is mostly settled in his apartment and has been busy getting his office space set up. He eats dinner and hangs out with us most nights, only begging off when work gets in the way. I don't think he realized how much work it would be to staff and furnish the new office, woo new clients and still try to have a personal life. Throw in the fact that it's the holiday season, full of parties and shopping, and it's understandable why Edward's been so tired – and grouchy – the last couple of weeks.

In fact, it's been so bad that I've sent him home to his own bed the last five nights before ten o'clock. Sleep-deprived Edward was grumpy. Now, sex-deprived Edward is mopey. And since Aro and Heidi are spending the next three nights in my bedroom, I'll be sleeping upstairs in the guest room…alone. Please. The informer sleeps next door to the guest room. All I need is for Sophie to tell everyone what she overhears Christmas Eve. It wouldn't be Santa coming…

It was funny when I kicked Edward out into the cold last night, though. He looked so sad and mumbled "happy fucking holidays, Edward" as I helped him bundle up and pushed him out to the porch. He pouted so perfectly that I briefly considered relenting, but then he said he was thinking about getting a dog to keep him warm at night. I shut the door in his face and turned off the porch light after that remark. He called to apologize on his way home – I really wasn't mad; I knew it was the mopey grouch talking. But I let him grovel a bit anyway before I told him all was forgiven.

I'm taking the next two and a half weeks off work, though, and MK and I are going to help get the interior of Edward's new office finished up so he can concentrate on hiring lawyers and office staff. When we suggested our interior design plan to him yesterday, he was so grateful that he kissed both of us on the lips, shocking MK and making me laugh.

"Bella? Bella? Are you even listening to me? Oh, sweet baby Jesus, you're not thinking about sex on this holy day before the holiest night, are you?" Angela asks, smirking at me.

"No," I say adamantly. "I'm thinking about how I'm _not_ having any sex lately."

"And I thought Edward was grouchy about it," she mutters. Ah, the grouch is also apparently vocal about his lack of Lily. We'll be discussing that later.

"I'm not grouchy…I just miss him. We've been so busy lately and when we're not busy, we're both completely wiped out. We've hardly been alone, hardly talked, and when we had sex six nights ago….it was like we both just couldn't wait to be done with it," I admit. I sigh. I guess I am cranky about it.

"Oh, Bells, that's normal. Especially this time of year. And you've both been swamped since he moved here. Things will settle down after New Year's," she opines. Even though I know she's pulling answers out of her ass, I feel unreasonably encouraged by her words.

I lean around the corner of the kitchen island and kiss her cheek. "Thanks, Ang," I say, smiling. I reward her bullshit by finally letting her help cut out the sugar cookie shapes.

She continues talking, rambling about people at the office and cutting out bells and stars. I flatly refuse to let her roll out the dough, though. When I tell her what I got Edward for Christmas, she agrees that he will love it. Then she can't help making her own prediction.

"You're totally getting a ring for Christmas," Ang states. "I mean, you two are perfect for each other. What could he possibly be waiting for?"

"Ang, we have only been back together a little over five months. Two months ago, we almost completely broke up. It's too soon," I say adamantly. "Besides, giving me a ring as a gift isn't his style."

"Oh, yeah. You might be right about that," she concedes, lining up her cut out shapes on the cookie sheet. "Plus, you guys are like surrounded by family this week. When do the Cullens descend?" she asks.

"Tomorrow afternoon. Everyone wanted Christmas morning at their own houses. But Aro and Heidi and my parents will be here with us in the morning. And Edward, of course," I say, smiling and looking down at the dough on the pastry board. I truly am excited for our first Christmas together in so long.

"And Edward, of course," she mocks in a high-pitched voice. Then she pretends to throw up in her mouth.

I laugh and elbow her in the arm. "Shut up. You and Ben are worse. What did you get him for Christmas anyway? We got distracted the other day and never finished that conversation."

"I brought it with me. I haven't wrapped it yet. It's in that bag over on the table," she says, still cutting her shapes intently and placing them on the cookie sheet.

I wash and dry my hands and go to peek in the bag. It's a tiny pillow with a ribbon to hang it up. When I turn the pillow over, the words 'shhh…baby sleeping' are cross-stitched on the front. I gasp and turn my eyes immediately to Angela. She's nodding at me through her tears and I start to cry, too. Then I start to laugh and yell, "I'm going to be an aunt! I'm going to be an aunt!" which makes her start laughing.

I practically bounce over to her and hug her, begging for details. She tells me that she just found out and confirmed with her doctor earlier this week.

"And you had time to cross-stitch a whole damn pillow?" I ask incredulously. She laughs.

"No. My mom made that when Ben and I first got married. I knew she had it and went and got it from her yesterday. Besides her and Dad, you're the only one I've told. I'm dying!" she says. I'm sure that's true. She loves to be the bearer of really good or really bad news.

"Oh, Ang! He's going to be so excited, too. Congratulations!" I say, anxious for everyone to know so we can talk about it.

"I know. I haven't been this excited for Christmas since I was nine," she laughs as we hug again.

We continue baking for the next three hours, our conversation consumed with talk of babies and future Christmases. I'm still giddy when Edward calls to say they're on the way from the airport and will be here in ten minutes.

When he pulls up in front, I go racing outside without a coat to greet Aro and Heidi. I am particularly relieved to see Aro looking so much like his regular, spry self. I hope we don't give him a heart attack on Christmas morning. My kids are loouud.

I squeeze him tightly, barely letting him get out of the car first. "Gramps," I sigh, feeling the tears gather behind my closed eyes and slowly leak out. I'm a total sap for Gramps…and Gram….and Christmas.

"Told ya," I hear Edward tell Michael. "You owe me two bucks."

"Edward Cullen," I say threateningly, "what did you bet my kid about this time?" I try to glare at him over Gramps' shoulder, but I'm having trouble losing the big-ass smile, so I'm guessing I don't look too frightening.

"That you would cry," he answers, not scared of me at all. He smirks at me a bit and starts to pull luggage and shopping bags out of the back of his new SUV…the one he traded his little sporty car in for so he could help haul my children and their friends around from place to place.

"I can't help it. I'm an emotional girl," I defend, letting go of Gramps and moving to Gram.

"I know, baby. That's the way I like you," he says, winking at me as he sends my little pack mules into the house with full hands. "I'm just trying to teach Michael about women. Come on, let's get you inside. You have to be freezing." Putting his arm around my shoulders, he holds his other arm out to steady Heidi as she climbs the porch stairs. I see Heidi gaze at him adoringly and roll my eyes at his seemingly effortless charm.

But I'm still smiling, thinking about the last time I walked up these steps with Aro and Edward. That night last July when I felt the earthquake that MK so accurately predicted. I knew then, that night, that my life would never be the same again. I just didn't know it was going to be this much better. Before I can stop myself, I gaze at him adoringly, too.

* * *

Christmas Eve night, my parents have all of us over for dinner. My mom has been watching Food Network again. She serves pork tenderloin and two pastas – one with a spicy vodka sauce and the other with homemade alfredo. She's come a long way from the tater tot casserole of my youth, thank goodness. I would like to send Ina a huge bouquet of flowers in appreciation, but have no idea - short of driving around the Hamptons - how to find her. And that just seems a little too stalkerish.

On the way home, I lean forward from the backseat where I'm sitting with Gram and tell Edward to pull his car into my garage since he's sleeping on the couch tonight. He didn't want to miss seeing the kids get up in the morning. And even though they're getting older, they'll still be up with the roosters when it involves presents.

"No, I'll park out front in the circle drive," he insists.

"Edward, just pull in the garage. It's cold and dark outside," I argue.

"Bella, it's easier for everyone to get out in the front. It will be difficult to get my car in next to yours and let everyone out," he says, rather testily by my estimation. That's a complete crock of shit, too. My garage has three car stalls and is easily big enough for both our cars.

"Why are you being so difficult?" I ask through gritted teeth, trying to say it quietly so the kids don't hear in the back. Gramps, who's sitting up front with Edward, is already laughing.

"Why are _you_ being so difficult? Why can't I park where I want to freaking park?" he asks quietly, raising his eyes to the rearview mirror to look at me. I arch one eyebrow at him.

"Fine," I reply in the tone that every man on the planet should recognize as meaning it is definitely _not _fine.

"Fine," he reciprocates, moving his eyes back to the road in front of us and exhaling loudly. I lean back and exhale loudly, too, hoping he heard the implied expletive that I didn't utter.

By the time I get the kids settled and tucked in, Heidi and Aro have gone to bed. I wash my face and put my holiday pajamas on before going back downstairs to get everything ready for the morning. As I pass by the living room, I see that Edward is sitting in the room alone, slumped down in the big leather chair, holding a glass of red wine. The only lights in the room are from the Christmas tree lights and from the flames flickering in the fireplace, which Edward is staring into.

I stop and lean against the wide doorway, content to look at him, study him for a moment. I still can't believe that all of this has happened. And even though the last couple of weeks have been bumpy, I know it's just because we're adjusting to the changes. I love him more than ever and I know he feels the same.

Unashamed, I let my eyes rove over his body, admiring his long, lean legs, his flat torso, his broad shoulders. As usual when I let myself look at Edward for more than ten seconds, I quickly become aroused. My eyes are still moving back and forth from his waist to his ankles when I hear him softly clear his throat.

"See something you like, beautiful?" he asks so quietly it's almost a whisper. My eyes flash to his, expecting to see the playful smirk. I'm surprised when I see his eyes are dark, his face serious. He reaches a hand out toward me and I walk across the room without hesitation to take it, letting him pull me onto him to straddle his lap. He keeps our hands intertwined, resting them on his chest, and raises his other hand to offer me the wineglass. I take it and drink slowly, letting him watch as I sip and swallow three times before handing the glass back.

"God, Bella, even in your reindeer pajamas you're the sexiest fucking woman I've ever seen," he says lowly. "Come here." He lets go of my hand and slides his around the back of my neck, pulling me to his mouth. I moan quietly as my lips meet his, feeling the familiar magnetic pull – the force that keeps me invisibly tethered to him. He holds my mouth to his as he works his lips against mine then finally slides his tongue into my mouth. We kiss passionately, but not hurriedly, both of us reveling in the first real kiss we've shared in days. After a few moments, I get restless, raising up slightly onto my knees and burying both hands in his hair, trying to increase the pace of the kiss.

"Baby," he murmurs against my lips, sliding his hand down from my neck to cup my breast, rubbing my hardened nipple with his thumb as I whimper. I know I should stop him – we have nowhere to go tonight and we definitely can't have sex right here with my kids upstairs and Aro and Heidi literally in the next room.

"Edward, I wish we could…," I say, pulling my lips away from his and looking down at him. I exhale loudly and sit back down on his thighs, making sure to move my tingly parts away from his noticeably erect part.

"I have a surprise for you. I want to give you your Christmas present now," he says, smiling up at me. He takes another drink of the wine and hands me the glass to finish.

"You don't want to wait for the kids?" I ask, secretly thrilled that I'm getting a present early. I kept telling him not to get me anything, but I knew he wouldn't abide by that. Normally I don't like getting gifts, but he's great at getting me things I didn't even know I wanted.

He chuckles darkly. "Definitely not," he answers. "Come on, Vixen, hop up and let me show you."

"My pajamas are Rudolph, not Vixen," I argue, pushing myself backwards off his legs to stand in front of him. He shakes his head and looks at me incredulously.

"Even on Christmas? You're picky with the nicknames even on Christmas?" he asks, sounding irritated, but looking amused…sort of.

"Not picky, just accurate," I retort as he stands and pulls the front of my pajama top, forcing me to stumble into his chest.

"Okay, but Rudolph was a boy and for what I want to do with you, I need Lily," he says, leaning down to whisper in my ear. Damn it. He knows what that does to me.

I put a hand on his chest and step backwards, out of sneaky, sexy whisper range. "Okay, SG, enough with the distractions. Bring on the present!"

"Greedy little Vixen," he laughs.

"Don't call me Vixen," I say threateningly.

"All right, all right. Close your eyes and let me take you to your present," he says. I take his hand and wrap my other arm around his while I close my eyes tightly. I quickly realize we're heading to the garage.

"Oh! This is why you wouldn't park in here tonight," I deduce.

"Wow, you catch on quick," he deadpans. "You almost ruined the surprise by being so fucking stubborn." I feel his lips against my temple and the warm burst of air when he chuckles into my hair.

"Hey!" I say laughingly as I pinch his arm. "I was trying to be nice."

We reach the door into the garage and he opens it and lifts me down the two steps to the garage floor.

"Okay, open your eyes. Merry Christmas, Bella," he says softly.

Slowly, I let my eyes creep open and look up. Several strands of little white Christmas lights are hung from the ceiling, bathing the grungy garage in a dim, romantic glow. I keep my eyes trained on the ceiling and gasp quietly. "It's so pretty," I say.

"Baby, the lights aren't your present," he says. "Look down."

I gasp loudly this time and cannot stop the sobs that immediately overtake me. There, bathed in the glow of the twinkle lights is my old truck. The truck my dad bought for me when I moved to Forks. The truck that Edward hated, but I loved. And since I loved it so much, he eventually came to love it, too. The truck he pressed me up against the first time he kissed me all those years ago. The truck that died a slow and painful death my third year of college. My dad had it towed back to Forks and I never saw it again.

"Where? How? You – you – when?" I stammer.

"I found out from Jake that it's been sitting for thirteen years in his dad's shed. Your dad and Billy helped me find someone to restore it – well, not really restore it. I didn't think you'd want it perfect – I thought you'd want it the way it was. So, the engine's fixed and it has fresh paint, but it's not shiny and new-looking. It looks pretty fucking similar to the way it did when I last saw it."

I throw my arms around his neck, still crying, and hug him tightly. "Edward, I love it. I love it. I love you," I say, kissing all along his neck.

"I love you, too. I'm so glad you like it," he says, breathing in my hair, his arms holding me close. "It's not…I'm not trying to relive the past. But I thought a nod to where we came from was appropriate, especially now as we move forward."

I nod against his shoulder, then pull away. "Come on! I want to see it up close!" I grab his hand and drag him across the garage floor so I can look in the windows. "It's the same. It's exactly the same." The interior is clean, and still original except for the radio that Emmett installed for me for my 18th birthday. The external rust spots are gone and I can tell the paint is fresh, but it's the same dusty, dull red it was before. It couldn't be more perfect.

Edward moves to stand behind me, wrapping both arms around my waist. He nuzzles my neck, pushing my hair aside with his nose before kissing and sucking lightly on the spot right below my ear. He knows exactly what he's doing…and when I see what's in the bed of the truck, I thank my lucky stars once again for this man.

"Edward Cullen, did you bring me to the garage to seduce me?" I ask, pretending to be offended.

"Absolutely," he answers, chuckling. "I love you. I want you. I want to celebrate this holiday with you."

"Do you think it will be any more comfortable than when we used to lie in the bed of this truck?" I ask, sliding my hands along his arms.

He laughs against my neck before he answers. "I doubt it. But beggars can't be choosers and, baby, I'm begging."

I turn in his arms to kiss him and he slowly starts backing toward the tailgate of the truck. When we get back there, he lifts me up and then crawls in right after me and we scoot up to get comfy on the pillows and blankets spread in the bed of the truck. He lies back and pulls me to him, kissing me sweetly, rubbing his hand up and down my arm.

"Hang on," he says, leaning up slightly to grab an extra comforter and throw it over us. "I don't want you to get cold. I didn't think about the garage being so chilly."

"SG, I think you'll be able to warm me up," I sigh, snuggling down under the comforter and pulling him underneath with me so that we're cocooned inside.

Eagerly, we kiss and pull at each other's clothes. It's just like it was last summer when we couldn't wait to be together after spending several days apart. As soon as I get his pants pushed down, he's inside of me, both of us groaning.

"I missed you," I whisper, wrapping my legs around him and framing his face with my hands.

"God, Bella. I love you," he whispers back as he slowly begins to thrust.

"I love you, too, but if you don't go faster, I'm going to go insane," I say, smiling at him and pulling his face down to bite gently at his lips. He chuckles lightly as he speeds up, but soon both of us are panting.

"Edward…..oh God….please," I gasp, sighing when he moves one hand in between us to help me. He rubs in tight circles until I come, arching against him, my fingernails digging into his shoulders.

"Fuck….sweetheart…..yes," he rasps, thrusting even faster until I feel him release inside me and then collapse on top of me. I fold the comforter back from around our heads to breathe some cooler air - then scratch my nails lightly up and down his back as we catch our breath, delighting in the grunts of approval he exhales into my neck. After a couple of minutes, he moves to my side, pulling me up tightly against him.

"Well, that part was very teenage-like," he comments wryly. "All hormones, not much foreplay, very little actual play."

I giggle against his shoulder. "No complaints here, SG." I snuggle a little closer and tangle our legs together. He reaches a hand down and intertwines it with the hand I have resting on his chest. He holds our hands up, studying them, extending our fingers and then sliding them back together over and over.

"What?" I ask, amused by the gesture.

"Nothing. I just like the way our hands fit together," he replies, smiling down at me. I 'hmm' to let him know I heard him and turn my attention to our hands, trying to see what he sees. Nope, I don't see it. I mean, his hands are really nice looking, but mine are just average. I try not to place too much importance on the fact that he's stroking my left ring finger with his right pinky – I think he's doing it absentmindedly. Diversion time.

"I really do love my present, Edward," I say, placing small kisses against his shoulder. "Thank you."

"You're welcome, baby. I guess we should go back inside, huh?" he asks, pulling our joined hands to his mouth to kiss my knuckles.

"Yeah…but I think we should leave the pillows and blankets out here. We may need somewhere to escape to tomorrow night, too," I say, laughing with him when he chuckles against my hair.

We get redressed, stopping to help each other…kiss each other. Then we stow all the blankets and pillows in the back of my Land Rover, grinning at each other like idiots.

"Can we take it for a drive tomorrow?" I ask, looking longingly at my old truck again.

"Absolutely, Bella," he says, kissing me once more before taking my hand and leading me back inside.

Once inside, we stuff stockings for the kids, my parents, and Aro and Heidi. Edward is so cute, so excited to play Santa, smiling widely the whole time. We take turns looking away while we fill each other's stockings, but I feel his eyes on me and know he's peeking. I whip around several times trying to catch him, but he's faster than me, even though I can tell by his grin that I almost catch him each time. It's such a magical way to end the night that I can't bear the thought of going up to the guest room to sleep alone. I end up snuggling up on the couch with Edward, knowing that neither of us will sleep very well in the cramped space, but for once, not caring if we're sleep deprived.

* * *

"Mom! Edward! Time to get up," Chase calls as he barrels into the room.

"We're up," Edward says, sitting up and rubbing his eyes. He looks down and smiles at me. "Merry Christmas, baby."

I sit up and wrap my arms around his neck then kiss him gently. "Merry Christmas."

The next thrity minutes are a flurry of activity as the other kids and Gramps and Gram get up. Then my parents arrive – finally, according to Chase, so the caffeine consumption and present-opening can commence. Months of preparation, hours of wrapping are gone in two minutes. The kids eagerly show Edward what they've opened and extract promises from him to help try out the new video games.

When most of the presents are opened, everyone goes out to look at my truck. My dad is misty-eyed as he stands looking at it. I walk toward him, wrapping my arms around his waist and reaching up to kiss his cheek.

"It's as perfect a gift the second time as it was the first," I say, quietly enough that only he can hear me. "I'm so lucky to have it given to me twice – by the two men I love and admire most in the world." A tear escapes down his cheek, followed by one down mine.

"Thanks, Bells. Brings back a lot of memories – for both of us, I'm sure. I have to say, as a father, it makes me so happy to see Edward being so good to you. Not that you need it, but you have my blessing - and your mom's - when it's time," he replies, wrapping me in his arms and kissing the top of my head as I rest it contentedly against his chest. Unable to speak around the lump in my throat, I squeeze him extra tightly.

"Hey, you two, no crying on Christmas," my mom chirps, coming to us and putting an arm around each of us. "Come on, let's start breakfast. And, Bella, I don't think Edward's opened your gift yet."

She's right. Charlie and I pull ourselves together and go back inside.

"You get the last present of the morning," I tell Edward, handing him the box. He blushes at being the center of attention and I step backwards and turn the video camera toward him. He opens the box carefully, then his eyes light up when he realizes what he's opened.

"Baby? No you didn't!" he exclaims.

"Yes, I did," I answer, sniffling right in the microphone of the camera.

"No, you didn't," he says, still disbelievingly.

"Yes, I did." Most of us are laughing now - Edward's is the best reaction of the entire morning.

He comes over to where I'm standing, with the video camera. "No, you didn't – you didn't get me the Dodgers dream day."

"Yes, I did."

"How'd you get this?" he asks, his face lit up with excitement. "We left the auction early, before the bidding closed."

"We did, but Emma didn't. I asked her to make sure she got it," I answer, pulling the camera away from us and reaching up to kiss his lips quickly. "Merry Christmas, Cullen."

"I love you, Swan. Merry Christmas," he replies quietly. "Would you like me to remind you why you wanted to leave that auction early?"

"No, still recording here," I chuckle, hooking an arm around his neck when he leans down to me.

"I know, but you're already going to edit the last ten seconds out. I might as well remind you that we went to the beach to have s-," he starts, but I yank him to me and stop him from saying anymore by kissing him. Thank goodness everyone else has lost interest in us and has migrated into the kitchen to start eating breakfast.

Pulling away from him after a minute, I reply, "I remember, SG. I remember."

* * *

As spring break nears, Edward and I decide to take the kids to LA for a few days. We both have meetings there during spring break week, and figure we can spend the rest of the time exploring the things we didn't get to see last summer. I'm hoping to get a little relaxation in, too. Between school and sports, it seems like all we've done is run kids around for the last three months. Edward has adapted pretty well to being here full-time and we have learned to navigate this new phase of our relationship pretty well. Angela, who reminded me that she is a mother fucking genius, was right: Things calmed down quite a bit after New Year's. I reminded her that now that she's with child, she's got to tone down the fucking curse words.

Once Edward's office was completely set up, his stress level decreased dramatically and we fell into a routine that makes me pretty happy. He's at my house almost every night, usually sneaking out in the wee hours before dawn. We make time to talk by riding into the city together two days a week and eating lunch together at least once a week. We also go out alone one night a week. Not too shabby for Bella.

Before we can take off for our LA vacay, though, we have to go to Forks for the weekend. It's Carlisle's 60th birthday and Esme plans a party which she repeatedly refers to as a "command performance"…meaning we all have to get our asses to Forks by 5 o'clock on the Friday when spring break begins or else. She keeps saying she's joking, but she's totally not joking. We all know it and plan accordingly.

Edward and I decide to leave early and stay for the whole birthday weekend, wanting to show the kids around our old stomping grounds a little. I can't describe how thrilled the kids were to hear that. We leave Friday morning, letting the kids skip school the last day before the break. That is the only part of this plan they like. We get to Forks in time to eat lunch at the diner, then show them Charlie's old house, the police station, the high school, and some of our old hangouts. Chase is the only one remotely interested. Consequently, Edward and I take extra care to point out every little uninteresting thing to Sophie and Michael, yukking it up in the front seat at the repeated lengthy sighs and unhappy mutterings coming from the back.

When we finally get to Carlisle and Esme's at four o'clock, Esme gives us a printed card with a list of the weekend's events. Friday night, all of us – kids included – are hosting the big party at the house for Carlisle's friends and colleagues.

Saturday morning is free time, which Alice has already informed me means girl time in Port Angeles. Saturday afternoon is a family bowling party – all of us are expected there, too. Saturday night is Carlisle's actual birthday and will be celebrated with an adults' night out while all the kids stay with a couple of sitters at Alice and Jasper's house.

Sunday morning is a family brunch at Esme and Carlisle's before we all head back home. Esme has complained before about not getting a big, fun wedding weekend since she and Carlisle got married while he was in medical school and he barely had enough spare time to show up for the vows. I think she's making up for it now.

As Edward and I carry all the bags inside, he starts whining about the sleeping arrangements. It's going to be crowded tonight since all of us are staying here, so Sophie is sharing a room with me, meaning Edward can't sneak to my room after bedtime.

"Why won't you come to my room?" he asks petulantly.

"If Sophie wakes up, she'll be scared. We've never stayed here before. Baby, I think you can make it one night. You didn't even leave my house until four o'clock this morning. You should be tired," I say, smiling at him as he drops my bag and Sophie's in the guest room where we're sleeping. I lay the hanging bag on the bed and crook my finger at him.

"I'm not tired," he complains, walking into my arms and wrapping his arms around my waist.

"Sweetie, you'll make it one night. And, you know, I wouldn't be opposed to sneaking off with you during the party for a little make out time. The last time I came to a party in this house, we snuck out back – remember?" I ask.

"It was Alice's and my 18th birthday party. Of course I remember," he smiles, leaning down to kiss me. "I remember that we snuck off to the bathroom once, then to the laundry room once, then outside where I finally got my hands down your pants."

"You mean up my skirt, hotshot," I say, smiling against his lips.

"Up your skirt and then down your pants," he retorts. "I'm starting to think tonight might be a good night after all. What are you wearing?" He bends down to kiss me again, sliding his hands down to cup my ass.

"Oh, God, Mom…Edward. Gross. Enough already," Sophie says disgustedly, walking into the room. Luckily, Edward's back was to her so she could tell we were kissing, but not that he was palming my behind. We pull apart reluctantly, exchanging two more quick pecks before he picks up the rest of the luggage and heads down the hall to his room.

I leave Sophie unpacking and go to find Esme to see what I can help with. Within just a few minutes, she has Alice and me helping Emmett string lights across the patio. She sends Jasper and Edward to buy a truckload of ice - okay, maybe not an actual truckload, but it's a lot of freaking ice. She's even got the kids working, setting up chairs before asking them to make sure that the video game system she bought for them to play in the basement is hooked up correctly.

Once the caterers arrive to start cooking and finish setting up, we are all excused to get ready for the party. I shower and get dressed, putting on the MK approved long-sleeved black dress and knee-high black riding boots. Edward knocks lightly on the doorjamb before stepping through the open door.

"Holy shit, baby. You look incredible," he says.

"Well, thank you, SG. We aim to please," I laugh.

"You never disappoint, Bella. Let's lock the door and stay here all night," he says, smiling crookedly at me as he crosses the room to kiss me.

"No can do, big shot. You're hosting this shindig with your mother and siblings. They'd come looking for us. And you know Alice always did seem to have a sixth sense where we were concerned. She always knew what we were up to," I laugh.

"All right, then let's go," he grumbles with a smirk, taking my hand. My kids are already in the basement with the Cullen and Whitlock kids.

We get downstairs a few minutes before the guests are due to start arriving. Carlisle and Esme both look ecstatic to have us all here. They both pull at me several times to introduce me to guests. I spend quite a bit of time talking to people who knew my dad when he was police chief, too. I have quite a mental list going of people who want me to be sure and tell Charlie hello.

During the party, Edward really does manage to get me outside once and in the upstairs bathroom once to make out. We don't have time to do anything more, though. Esme has the boys on bartending duty and Emmett will come looking for us if we're gone more than a couple of minutes. That doesn't stop Edward from trying, though. He repeatedly attempts to push my skirt up to my waist, but I repeatedly bat his hands away.

"There's not time and you are not going to get me all hot and bothered and then go out there to pour more drinks for your mother's cougar friends," I say against his lips. He tries once more with the skirt and finally succeeds.

"Baby, I can be quick," he murmurs against my lips, rubbing his fingers against the outside of my panties.

"God, Edward, stop please," I beg, hanging onto his neck.

"Honey bunny, let me touch you," he breathes into my ear. I push against his chest and he backs up to look at me. "No honey bunny?" I shake my head. "Sweet pea? Snookems?" he asks, laughing.

I'm laughing, too, but I push my skirt back down, the mood broken. "No, I don't like any of those. Come on, we've got to get back. You know Emmett will tell everyone we're sneaking off together if he figures it out."

"Bella, why don't you just tell me a nickname I can call you?" Edward asks tiredly.

"I don't know one. I think I'll just know the right one when I hear it," I say, reaching up to kiss him one more time before I open the bathroom door and check the hallway. It's clear, so we exit and head back down to the party. I'm not kidding about Esme's friends. She has three friends who are divorced and tipsy and doing everything except rubbing their chests against Edward. Oh, hell. I take it back. One of them actually is rubbing her chest against Edward.

Before I can get over there, though, Alice comes to his rescue, expertly steering the leech away. The party breaks up about midnight and I get my kids put to bed before heading to the kitchen to help with clean up. The caterers have cleaned the kitchen pretty well, but Edward asks me to come to the garage to put the leftover beer into the extra refrigerator.

As expected, I end up pinned against the refrigerator door with one of my legs wrapped around Edward's hip as he plunges two fingers in and out of me, quickly making me come, capturing my cries with his mouth. As he kisses me lazily afterward, I murmur that it's not fair to him - he didn't get anything.

"It's enough, baby. Just watching you is enough…for tonight," he smirks.

"Ugh, I knew you two would be out here making out," Alice calls from the doorway, turning on the lights in the garage. Edward and I spring apart like guilty teenagers. I know I'm blushing, grateful she wasn't a couple of minutes earlier. "Wait until I tell Emmett," she trills as she shuts the door, laughing.

"Go on to bed, Bella. I'll finish this and then go to bed…alone," he says, finishing with the same lengthy sigh he heard so many times from my kids earlier today. I give him a quick kiss, moaning as he rubs his hands across my ass, and then go up to bed with a smile.

* * *

After spending Saturday morning with all the girls in Port Angeles, we return to Forks just in time to go bowling. According to Esme, this was the only thing Carlisle asked for during this whole weekend. I am a little surprised - I never took Carlisle for a bowler, but it's his birthday, so what he wants, he gets. As we all start piling into cars to head into town, Carlisle asks my kids if they want to ride with him and Esme. I look quizzically at Edward, but he purses his lips to the side and shrugs. He pats his front pockets, clearly looking for something.

"I'll be right back. I think I left my phone inside," Edward says to me, then calls to the others to go ahead, we'll be right behind them. I see Alice look from him to me with a strange look on her face, but she gets in her car and waves to me as they drive away. I wait impatiently for Edward, leaning against the side of his car for almost five minutes before he reappears. As we finally drive toward Forks, toward the bowling alley, I realize we're close to the meadow.

"Edward," I begin, reaching across the console for his hand. I lace our fingers together as I look out my window at the trees that guard our meadow. I look over at him, wondering if we have time for a quick look.

"You want to stop for a minute?" he asks, glancing at me.

"Can we?" I ask, smiling over at him. It's been relatively dry here this week, so it shouldn't be too muddy and the day is unseasonably warm for the end of March. Since we're both wearing sweatshirts, I know we won't be too cold.

"Sure, baby. We're already late enough that they'll all assume we were shagging somewhere anyway," he laughs. He turns onto the side road and drives all the way up the deadend lane, parking at the end. Silently, we get out of the car and start walking down the wider part of the path holding hands.

"Do you remember the very first time we came here?" he asks, looking down at me.

"Yeah. I can't remember why we were out here, though. Can you?"

"We were looking for somewhere to be alone. Remember how Alice would follow us almost everywhere we went before she and Jasper started dating?" he laughs.

"Right. I had forgotten that. Somewhere to be alone, hmm? What were you hoping to do with me out here all alone in the woods, Cullen?" I laugh.

"Exactly what we eventually did out here in the woods, Swan," he answers, laughing, too.

"The first time you said you loved me was on this path. Remember?" I ask.

"Yep. You were pissed at me about something, right?"

"Uh huh. We were fighting about that little skanky freshman girl that used to follow you around….what the hell was her name? I can't remember. But I remember you were way too nice to her. She used to bring you cookies all the time, too," I laugh.

"Her name was Emily. And she was a nice girl," he says defensively.

"Whatever. I don't want to fight about her again. You have your opinion, which is clearly wrong, and I have mine," I say, stopping in the path and wrapping my arms around his neck to pull him down for a kiss.

He laughs against my lips as he kisses me, then moves his mouth down my neck. "Better watch it, Miss Know-it-all. I'll give you a big hickey right where everyone can see it."

"God, if you keep kissing me like that, I won't even care," I half groan, pulling on his hair until he moves his lips back to mine. "But I don't like that nickname, for sure."

"You're too picky. I'll never come up with one that passes your elusive nickname test," he says, moving one hand down to my ass before turning me back toward the path. It narrows here so I'll have to walk in front of him for a few feet.

"I have faith in you, SG. You'll come up with the right one someday. And I know you're only making me go first so you can stare at my ass," I call back to him, laughing and raising my sweatshirt to shake it a little for him. I hear him laugh behind me.

"Wait….I think I've come up with the perfect nickname for you," he says from behind me.

"Okay, try it out, hotshot," I call back to him, not turning around.

"Bella Cullen."

* * *

A/N: So...long time, no chapter, eh? Writing time has been completely consumed by R/L lately, but things seem to be settling back down now.

As always, thanks for reading and please take a sec to review!


	30. Chapter 30

And I heard the word from above  
Hold on, she's coming soon  
Woman, who would change your whole life  
And now that I have a choice  
Well I'm choosing you to be my wife

* * *

**End of last chapter:**

_"Wait...I think I've come up with the perfect nickname for you," he says from behind me._

_"Okay, try it out, hotshot," I call back to him, not turning around._

_"Bella Cullen."_

* * *

I stop walking so suddenly that I almost fall forward on my face. What did he just say? I should turn around. I'm scared as fuck to turn around. If I turn around and he's laughing…kidding, I will make him cry for his mommy before I let him off this path.

No, he's not kidding. I know it. I _feel_ it.

I swallow twice then close my eyes. Flashes of my life, past and future, are running through my head in a jumbled loop: seeing him for the first time in the Forks High School cafeteria, seeing him for the first time again last summer in my driveway, watching him play outside with my kids, dancing with him at Jake's wedding, making him teach the kids to drive, watching him walk Sophie down the aisle at her wedding, laughing in the sun with him in LA, seeing him waiting for me at the end of the aisle at our wedding, Christmas eve, Christmas morning, laughing with him as we watch a green-eyed, wild-haired toddler take his first steps. I force my eyes back open and lift my fingers to wipe away the wetness beneath them before I turn around to look at Edward.

Suddenly, all I can think of are my high school notebooks that I scribbled 'Bella Cullen' all over. That young girl's dream is coming true for me now…today…and I had no idea.

I take a deep breath, then turn around slowly and see him kneeling on the path a few feet behind me, holding an open ring box. I gasp and cover my mouth with one hand.

"Bella, will you marry me?" he asks simply. His face is serious but eager; his voice calm yet tremulous.

I swallow again and take another deep breath. "That's a name, not a nickname," I mumble around my hand.

"Whatever," he says, the serious face breaking into my favorite crooked smile. "Does it pass?"

I nod, still dumbfounded. "Yes."

"Yes, it passes or yes, you'll marry me?" I drop my hand from my mouth and laugh out loud before answering. Crazy-ass butterflies have started fluttering around in my stomach.

"Both," I say, smiling through my tears and starting to bounce a little. "Get up, Edward."

"Why?"

"Because I can't contain myself much longer and I don't want to knock us into the mud," I say laughing.

He stands up and walks toward me. I take three steps and then jump into his arms. We hug each other tightly as he sways us from side to side, my feet swinging above the ground.

"I love you so much, Edward. I don't know whether to laugh or cry," I say, then make a ridiculous half sob, half giggle noise into his shoulder.

"Baby, I love you, too. I'm so fucking happy, Bella," he says, putting me down and kissing me. I pull away quickly.

"Hey, I wasn't done," I protest, jumping back up and wrapping my legs around his waist this time, too. "Don't rush me. No one's ever going to propose to me again. I want to enjoy this."

"Okay, baby. Let me know when you want to see the ring," he laughs, putting his hands under my ass to hold me up.

"Who cares about the ring? I mean, no offense. Knowing you, I'm sure it's incredible, but I'm more excited for the husband than the ring," I say, kissing his neck and sucking it lightly. Using one hand to hang on around his shoulders and the other to gently glide along his jaw, I rear back to look into his eyes, smiling widely and rejoicing inside when I see the enormity of love I feel for him reflected right back at me. We both laugh lightly, then I lean in to kiss him, letting my eyes slide shut, pouring every emotion I have into the kiss.

"I won't tell Alice you said that…she designed it," he says against my lips when I let him up for air. I pull back slightly to look into his eyes again.

"She did? Okay, lemme see…but don't put me down yet," I demand. He laughs and juggles me a little so he can raise one arm up and hand me the ring box.

"Oh my God, Edward. It's so beautiful," I say, admiring the dark emerald-cut sapphire surrounded by diamonds set on a platinum band. "She did a fantastic job. I love it. I couldn't have picked anything more perfect."

"I'm glad you like it," he says, watching me.

"I love it," I correct him, kissing his lips, then his cheek, before I hug him again, resting my head between his neck and shoulder.

"I'm glad you love it. Want me to put it on you now?" he asks. I nod against his shoulder. "I'm going to have to put you down." I unhook my legs from his waist and he lets me slide down. I hand him the ring box and he takes it out gently as I hold out my shaky left hand. He looks into my eyes as he slides it on my finger then kisses me, each of us smiling against the other's lips. I pull back slightly and rest my hands on his chest, studying the ring – loving the way it looks on my finger, but loving what it symbolizes so much more.

"Jesus, I can't believe this….you had this planned? And I fell right into your trap, asking to come here?" I ask, tearing my eyes away from the ring to look at him again.

"Basically. I was getting ready to ask if you wanted to stop at the meadow right when you asked me if we could. I didn't plan to do it quite that way, on the path, but when you bitched about the nickname _again_, I had an inspiration," he chuckles, wrapping me in his arms.

"Hold on. Motor mouth, never-kept-a-secret-in-her-life Alice knows you have this and hasn't blabbed? Impossible," I giggle, sliding my arms around his waist, intertwining my hands at his back and fingering the ring with my right hand.

"Swore her to secrecy. She was only allowed to tell Paloma. And she didn't know when I was going to do it," he answers haughtily.

"She doesn't know it was today?" I ask, resting my head against his chest.

"No, only my dad knows," Edward replies. "I told him last night."

I gasp as I pull my head away from his chest to look up at him. "Oh my god, the kids, my parents….they're going to be shocked," I say, giggling a little.

"Not…that shocked," he admits, blushing. He slides his eyes to the side, not looking at me.

"They know?" I inquire.

"I went and talked to your parents a couple of weeks ago. And I talked to the kids last week – the night you had the dinner meeting with Jake. I owe him for that, by the way."

"Jacob knows, too? He's never kept a secret from me before." I muse, feeling a little irritated at being so far out of the loop.

"They all knew that it was important to me for you to be surprised."

I laugh, thinking how I was a little irritated about having to wait for Edward to find his "cell phone" before we left his parents' house. "I was surprised, all right, SG. So speaking of people who can't keep secrets, is there anyone you _didn't_ tell?" I look up at him bemusedly, still not able to wipe the grin off my face.

"The fairy godmothers are all yours. They have no idea." He lifts his hands up to cup my cheeks and presses his lips to mine sweetly.

"I think we need to talk to the kids first before we make any big announcement," I murmur against his lips.

He pulls back slightly to look at me and nod. "Absolutely. I've got my dad on call to bring them back to the house early so we can talk to them before dinner. Or we can put the ring away and talk when we get back to Seattle. It's up to you," he says.

"No, Edward. If you're going to be the co-parent, you have to learn the lingo. It's up to _us_," I say, moving my arms from around his waist to hook them around his neck. We're both smiling as I pull him down to kiss me again. "And, frankly, now that I have this ring, I'm never taking it off again, so it's gonna have to be now."

He smiles widely at me then pulls me to his chest so tightly that I'd think it was Emmett, not Edward, hugging me if I didn't know better. "Baby, we have so much to talk about – the kids, especially. But I want to spend a few minutes of just us, okay?"

"Anything you say, my fiancé, the hotshot attorney, Sex God, almost-stepdad," I say, arranging my arms around his neck so that I can admire my ring over his shoulder.

"I can tell that you're looking at the ring," he says lowly in my ear, making me giggle. "My fiancée, the bad-ass almost Bella Cullen."

Eventually, we finish the walk to the meadow and Edward leads me over to the middle where a blanket is already laid out next to a small cooler. He opens the cooler and pulls out a bottle of champagne as I kneel down on the blanket. I grab the plastic glasses from the cooler and hold them out for Edward after he pops the cork.

"You're very big on popping things in this meadow, SG. Cherries, champagne corks, the question," I laugh.

He laughs heartily, too, as he sits down next to me on the blanket. "Well, two of those things were all me, but the champagne is courtesy of your future father-in-law, who was almost as excited as me about today. He was practically giddy this morning – and Carlisle doesn't do giddy very often. He came out here with me to set this up while Emmett entertained all the boys with foosball at Jasper's house."

"That's so sweet – your dad helping out," I say, starting to sniffle again. "Jesus, everything is gonna make me cry today." Edward leans forward to kiss me.

"No more tears for now, Bella. Here's to us….fucking finally," he says, smiling crookedly, holding his glass out toward me.

"Fucking finally," I agree, smiling back. We clunk our plastic goblets together and drink them down.

* * *

An hour later, Carlisle meets us in the driveway of his house to drop the kids off. I keep my hands in my jean pockets as they get out and head inside, looking at me quizzically. My eyes meet Carlisle's for a second and he winks and nods at me before looking proudly at Edward.

"I can hold everybody else off for another hour, but probably not much longer than that. They were very suspicious about me bringing the kids back to you. I tried to play it off by saying I hoped nothing was wrong, but Rosalie was really scrutinizing me. Alice looked like she knew something was up, too….and your mother is going to be furious with me when she finds out what I've done," he laughs. "But I'll try to keep them out until four o'clock."

"I can't believe they didn't just follow you here now," I say laughing with him.

"I took Emmett's and Jasper's car keys when they weren't paying attention," he says sheepishly as Edward and I laugh. "Congratulations, you two," he says quietly. I mouth 'thank you' with tears in my eyes. He waves and pulls out of the driveway as Edward and I turn to follow the kids inside. I already asked Edward if I could speak to them alone first for a few minutes, so he heads for the kitchen as I go to join the kids in the great room.

"So, I heard this rumor that there are some pretty sneaky kids living in my house," I say as I walk into the room.

"I told you!" Sophie says to Michael. "He asked you, didn't he, Mom?"

"Yes, he did. And I need to know how you guys feel about that," I say, sitting down on the coffee table across from where they are sitting on the couch. "I told you once that if I ever got married again, the guy would have to love all of you and you would have to love him. Well, Edward loves all of you. How do you feel about all this?"

"Love him."

"Love him."

"Like him. I'm not saying I love him. That's gay." Thank you, Michael.

"Okay. Are any of you against me marrying Edward? Against Edward living in the house with us…going on vacations with us? All of the normal, everyday stuff we do, all the exciting, fun stuff we do, he'll be there."

"Fine with me."

"Fine with me."

"Fine with me."

"You three have never been this agreeable in your lives. Did Edward bribe you or something?" I ask, laughing.

"Hey! Don't talk that way about my future stepdad," Sophie says. "He already told us that he loves us all and he loves you a lot, too. He wants us all to be a family." Good sign…she's sticking up for him.

I smile at all of them. "All right, then if everybody agrees, I'm going to marry Edward." My eyes fill up with tears again.

"Do you think it would be okay with Dad?" Michael asks quietly. I turn to look at him as I wipe my eyes. He doesn't look upset, just curious.

I smile and nod as I begin to answer him. "Yes, Michael, I do. Before your dad died, when we knew that he wasn't going to get better, he told me that he wanted all of us to be happy and if that included another husband for me and someone who would be like a dad to you guys, he would like that. I think Dad would like it very much that Edward is here now and loves you and wants to help take care of you."

"That's what I thought. Dad told me it was my job to take care of you until you found someone who would take care of all of us," he says in a serious tone. All at once, my heart aches for them, for the part of childhood lost to grief; for me, for the guilt I felt; for all four of us, for the pain we've endured. But just as quickly my heart swells, feeling the tether of love that connects us to the past with Marcus; and the beacon of love that draws us to the future with Edward. I feel completely at peace as I reply to him.

"You've done a great job taking care of us, Michael," I tell him, smiling and feeling a couple of tears escape and make their way down my face.

"Mom, are you sad that you're getting married?" Chase asks quietly. He's so serious, so concerned. I want to scoop him up in my arms, but that would tick him off for sure.

"No, you re re. Edward says girls always cry when they're happy. You'll get used to it. I think Mom's going to be crying a lot for awhile. And Alice will for sure cry. She cried yesterday just because Paloma said 'dog'," Michael scoffs, rolling his eyes.

I clear my throat and raise my eyebrows at him. He shrugs as if to say "what?".

"Michael, will you please go in the kitchen and ask Edward to come in?" I ask. When he's gone, I look down at Chase. "Chase, sometimes when you love someone very much or when you are very happy about something, you cry. It happens to boys, too, not just girls."

"So you love us and Edward very much?" he asks. I nod. "And you're happy?" I nod again. "Okay." He smiles at me and lets me ruffle his hair for three whole seconds before he pulls away.

When Michael and Edward come in, Michael sits back in the spot he left and immediately elbows Chase. I stand up and Edward comes to stand beside me.

"Are you guys okay with this?" he asks them. They all say yes.

"Do you have any questions?" I ask.

"Do we have to call you dad?" Sophie asks.

"No. You can call me whatever you feel comfortable calling me. And you don't have to decide right now," he smiles at them.

"Can we call you dad if we want to?" Chase asks quietly, his head tilted down but eyes looking up from under his brow. I swear my heart skips a beat every time that kid speaks today.

"Absolutely. I'd love that. But only if you want to," Edward answers, swallowing a couple of times. I have tears leaking from my eyes again and I put an arm around Edward's waist. He smiles down at me and puts his arm around my shoulders.

"When are you getting married?" Sophie asks.

"We haven't even talked about it yet, sweetie," I answer. "After we get home, we'll all put our calendars together and figure it out, okay?"

"Okay."

"Does this mean if Mom dies, you'll take care of us?" Chase again. His grim reaper days are apparently not completely behind us.

Edward's answer is swift. "Your mom and I are going to figure all of that out. You don't have to worry about it, okay? But from now on, I will do everything I can to take care of all of you for the rest of your lives."

They continue to pepper us with questions about what we're going to do with Edward's furniture, when he's moving in and if they can have tv in their rooms now. I knew they'd try to sneak that one in. I'm a little surprised they haven't asked for cell phones, too.

Just as the questions are drying up, the front door flies open and bangs against the wall. Alice and Rosalie are the first ones in, practically running into the room. Edward and I don't move, but he does pull me a little closer to his side and I wrap my other arm around the front of his waist.

"So what's up, guys?" Rose asks nonchalantly. She and Alice stalk slowly across the floor, getting closer and closer to us.

"Not much, Rose. How was bowling?" I ask innocently as the rest of the Cullens come filing in. Carlisle brings up the rear, looking at us apologetically. It's not quite four o'clock.

"Bowling was great, Bella, even though Carlisle stranded us there for some unknown reason. Now tell us what's been happening here," she demands, smirking at us, trying to surreptitiously look at my ring finger. I have my left hand hidden under his sweatshirt, though, so she's outta luck.

"Should we tell them?" I say, looking up at Edward.

"Whatever you think, Bella," he says, smiling down at me.

"Tell them, Mom," Chase pleads.

"Oh, all right," I laugh. "Edward asked me to marry him." I almost get through it without my voice cracking.

"And she said yes," he finishes. Cheers erupt around the room. Alice launches herself at me and would have knocked me down if Edward hadn't been hanging on to me. Michael's right …she does cry. She lets go of me and moves on to hug Edward. Rosalie pulls me into a hug.

"I knew it. I knew it the first time you showed up last summer," she says. "Bella, I'm so happy for you guys."

"Thanks, Rose," I say, hugging her back.

"Stinkerbell, I knew you'd be my little sis someday," Emmett says lifting me up into his arms. When he puts me back down, he sniffles a little and then kisses the top of my head. I try not to think about what he might have left up there.

As they move toward Edward, Carlisle and Esme come to me.

"I couldn't be happier, Bella. You've been my daughter in my heart for years. You're just making it official now. I can't believe my husband and son kept this from me, though," she laughs, hugging me tightly. Her eyes are red-rimmed but happy as she pulls back to look at me.

"Bella, you're already a part of this family, but, as Esme said, we're looking forward to making it legal…and to officially gaining three more grandkids to enjoy," Carlisle says, kissing my cheek and hugging me even though Esme hasn't let go of me yet. For a moment, I let myself fully appreciate the beauty of this moment, standing in the embrace of two people who have loved me, forgiven me, and accepted me as if I was their own child. I feel myself starting to lose the tight grip I have on my emotions. If I let them all out, I'll be a sobbing mess in no time. I pull back slightly and take a deep breath. Esme notices my quivering lip and fixes her determined gaze on me. I've never loved her more.

"Okay. No more tears. Tell us how he asked you. Was it perfect?" Esme wants to know. I relay the story, having to start over as Alice and Rose hear what I'm saying and come to listen, too.

Carlisle opens a bottle of champagne for the adults and sparkling juice for the kids and toasts us. Emmett taps his wedding ring on his glass to get us to kiss. We do, kissing so long that some of the kids are making gagging noises. We finally break apart when Rose asks if tapping again will make us stop.

When we finally get around to making toasts, it seems everyone has one to offer. Some well-wishes for Edward and me, some birthday wishes for Carlisle…and one wish from Jordan that Spike the lizard hadn't eaten Iago – the other lizard. By the time the toasting is all finished, I'm as relaxed and happy as I've ever been, sitting on the couch between Edward and Alice and listening to the noisy chaos that is the Cullen family – my family.

* * *

Dinner that evening is perfect. While the kids eat pizza and play at Alice's with the babysitters, the rest of us go to Carlisle's favorite restaurant. All of us drink way too much wine – thankfully Esme anticipated this and got a car service to drive us tonight. Edward and I hold hands under the table for most of the meal and I feel his thumb rub over the ring on my finger again and again. I can't stop smiling, even when Rose punches my thigh pretty hard under the table to try and make me. She laughs with me when even that pain – which I'm sure will leave a big bruise – can't erase my grin.

Right before dessert, Alice, Rose and I all excuse ourselves to the ladies lounge. As we stand in front of the mirror touching up our lipstick, they start on me.

"So, what are you thinking, Bella? Big wedding? Small wedding?" Rose asks, smiling at me in the mirror.

I shrug my shoulders as I answer. "I don't really care. I'm all about the husband part. The wedding I can take or leave. Whatever Edward wants is fine with me."

Alice gasps so loudly that she scares me. "Bella! That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. If you let him pick, he'll cart you off to the courthouse next week wearing jeans and that crappy-ass USC hoody he wears when he runs," Alice chides. "Do not make me take over this wedding by force."

A vision of gangster Alice in a ballgown with a machine gun in her arms and a cigarette hanging from her lips muttering 'Just do it my way and nobody gets hurt, see?' makes me shudder…then giggle. I don't think I'm too far off.

"Alice, honestly, the courthouse would be fine with me. I don't need all the fancy shit. I just want the man…the family…even you," I say, sticking my tongue out at her in the mirror.

Rosalie turns and hops up onto the makeup counter to look at me. "You know, Bella, I rarely agree with Alice about this stuff, but I think she's right here. This is a monumental occasion for you and Edward – and your kids. It should be treated as such."

I shake my head at her. "I've already done the big wedding once," I argue.

"But Edward hasn't," Alice insists. "He should have a day to remember – you all should. Don't underestimate what the kids need here, too. I think a ceremony, a celebration, where you all officially become a family is more important than you realize."

They could be right about this. A ceremony where Edward and I declare ourselves, and by extension my children, irrevocably tied together will be a defining point in our family. It should be special. It should feel like an important day. It is an important day.

I chew my bottom lip for a moment. I feel myself getting talked into this…and starting to get excited about it.

"I still don't want a ton of people there," I say hesitantly.

Alice nods eagerly, meeting my eyes in the mirror.

I start to smile even though I'm trying not to. "I _have_ been waiting a freaking long time for this day, though," I say, nodding.

"Yes, you have," Rosalie pipes up. I look over at her and she's teary-eyed. Oh hell, that does it. If Rosalie freaking Hale Cullen is emo about this, I don't stand a chance.

I break into a full-blown smile. "Okay, I think I want the nice wedding and reception."

Alice is bouncing on the balls of her feet and grinning at me ridiculously.

"Subdued…nothing over the top," I insist. Alice nods and claps. "I just need one more thing."

"What?" they ask in stereo.

"I need my sisters to help me," I say. They both grab me and we hug, all crying and laughing at the same time.

"Hey!" Esme scolds from the doorway. "What's going on and why wasn't I invited?"

"Mom, Bella and Edward are getting married – in a real ceremony with a real reception," Alice says excitedly.

"Uh oh. What are you up to, Alice? Bella, don't let her bully you," Esme states firmly.

I sniff and laugh before answering her. "She's not, Esme," I say. "They just pointed some things out to me…and I agreed."

When we finally head back to the table a few minutes later, they guys all stand to push our chairs in for us.

"Well, somebody's sure trying to get lucky tonight," Rose observes snarkily, but she smiles sweetly at Emmett.

"I figure Edward's the only one guaranteed to get action, since he brought out the bling today. But Dad has a decent shot, too, since it's his birthday. I mean, assuming he can still do that sort of thing at his age. Can you, Dad?" Emmett asks, deadly serious.

We all groan at Emmett's question, then laugh uproariously when it's Esme who answers.

"Yes, Emmett, he can. And if you don't want proof, you might want to sleep in the basement tonight. Since you kids moved out, we've become rather… vociferous… and I'm not sure we'll remember that you're all in the house with us tonight," she answers, smiling smugly, not blushing at all.

Emmett frowns and looks from Esme to Carlisle, clearly confused.

"She's loud, Emmett. Your mother is trying to tell you that she's loud," Carlisle says with a straight face.

We erupt in laughter again when, for once, Emmett is the one left blushing.

* * *

**A/N: Okey, dokey. We're heading to the end here...probably one more then the epi. **

**As always, thanks for reading and please review!**


	31. Chapter 31

**A/N: I'm not even gonna try. :) Pathetic procrastinator. 'Nuff said.**

**If you're still around, thanks so much for reading. There's still a short epilogue. It's almost done and will post soon. **

* * *

_I wouldn't change a thing._

_It's perfectly imperfect._

_So crazy, but it's worth it._

_And I'm wrapped around you like this ring._

_And something tells me even if I could,_

_I wouldn't change a thing._

* * *

"It's weird, isn't it?" he asks as we get into bed from opposite sides. "Being back in this house, in my old room, as adults."

"It's weird that we just told your parents goodnight and came in here together. Alice used to have to sneak me in," I remark, pulling the covers over us as I scoot close to him. "But this room doesn't really feel like yours anymore."

"Nope. No dark blue walls," he says, reaching over to turn off the lamp.

"No Claudia Schiffer posters," I laugh.

"One! I had one poster of her," he defends, laughing, too. "What about you? You had pictures of Brad Pitt everywhere." He pushes me onto my back and rolls on top of me, wedging his knee between mine until I make room for him. As he settles between my legs, he rocks himself against me, startling me.

"Edward!"

"Shhh, baby. Not so loud. My parents will think we're in here doing what we _should_ be doing," he teases, pulling his hips back slightly from mine.

"I told you, I don't think I can relax when your parents are right next door," I say quietly.

"I know," he replies, pressing his lips to mine gently. "It's okay. We can wait until we're home tomorrow night."

He continues to kiss me – lightly, teasingly, not trying anything else… and knowing it will make me crazy after a minute. And it does. Heart-racing, aroused, wiggling-under-him crazy.

"You don't play fair," I pant, smiling against his lips as I snake my hands up under the back of his t-shirt.

"I know," he chuckles, moving his mouth across my jaw and then down my neck as I arch backward into the pillow. "Still want to marry me?"

I don't answer, knowing that will make _him_ crazy. After a few seconds, he lifts up to look at me expectantly.

"More than anything," I whisper, swallowing the lump in my throat. I'm rewarded with my favorite crooked smile as he lowers his lips to mine again. This time there's nothing gentle about the kiss – it's desperate, frantic. Within a minute, we're pulling at each other's clothes.

"Bella," he breathes sitting back on his heels as he peels off my shirt and then his own. I know he wants me to tell him it's okay.

"We have to be quiet," I whisper, lifting my hips so he can pull my panties off.

"I'm always quiet," he says, smiling as he leans over me again. "You're the one most likely to wake the kids or, right now, my parents."

I'd like to argue, but he's right… and he's right there, pushing slowly into me. When I raise my hands to grasp his upper arms, I catch the faint glint of my ring in the light coming through the window and shift my eyes toward it.

"Are you going to look at the ring or your fiancé?" he asks, grabbing my attention.

"Both," I say, then gasp as he thrusts into me again. He dips his head to press his lips against mine as he pulls out.

"Fuck, you feel good," he murmurs. He slides back in quickly, banging the headboard against the wall.

"Oh, my God! That was loud," I whisper, looking up at him with wide eyes.

"Yeah. Their headboard is right against the other side of this wall," he answers, chuckling quietly.

"Jesus, Edward! They're going to know," I say, closing my eyes in embarrassment.

"Baby, we're engaged. It's okay."

"No, no, no. Off. _Now_."

Instead, he leans down to kiss me, staying buried deep inside me. When I'm writhing against him once more, he raises up to look at me. "Floor?"

As soon as I nod, he gets up and pulls the comforter off the bed. He spreads it on the floor beside the bed, and then reaches a hand toward me.

"I want top," I say quietly, looking up at him from under my brow as I stand. Putting an arm around my waist, he nods and bends down to kiss me, sliding his tongue along mine until I moan quietly. As soon as he's lying down, I kneel astride him and lower myself onto him.

"Jesus, baby. I love you… please hurry," he moans as his eyes slide closed.

Smiling, I lean forward to put my palms on the floor next to his shoulders, then start to move. It's not long before he grips my hips, wanting me to move faster.

"Oh, God," I whisper, sitting up straight and gripping his forearms. "I'm so close."

"Fuck… Bella," he groans as I feel him climax inside me. He slides one hand to my center, rubbing my clit quickly with his thumb until I come, too.

Gasping loudly, I arch my back and stop moving, letting the pleasure wash through me before I collapse forward onto his chest. Neither of us speaks as we catch our breath, lying still and clinging to each other.

"I love you," I whisper after a few minutes. I tangle my fingers in his chest hair and press my lips to his damp skin as I listen to the slowing, steady beat of his heart under my ear.

"I've loved you since I was sixteen," he muses, scratching one hand lightly up and down my back. "Even all those years we were apart, I always loved you… always hoped you were happy."

"I hoped you were happy, too," I say as tears pool in my eyes.

"I was, sometimes," he sighs. "But I'm so much happier now. And, baby?"

"Yeah?" I sniffle and raise my head to look at him.

"I have no regrets," he says, sliding his hand into my hair to push it away from my face. "I think we are exactly where we're supposed to be, exactly when we're supposed to be here."

"On the floor of your old bedroom while your parents sleep next door?" I joke, using one hand to wipe the wetness from under my eyes.

I know that's not what he means – he says stuff like this all the time because he knows I still have some measure of guilt over everything that happened when we were teenagers. I think he means it every time he says it, but I've never fully agreed… until now.

"No, smartass," he retorts. "Together. Engaged. Raising a family."

"SG, you are the smartest, sexiest man I know," I reply, stretching up to kiss him.

"Why do you sound so surprised?" he asks, grinning against my lips.

"Don't mistake my amazement at your sexual skills for amazement at your intellect," I answer, pulling back to look at him. "And before you misconstrue that, I'm using the word amazement to describe my awe, not my shock."

"Got it," he laughs, hugging me tightly. "Let's get some sleep, huh? Big day tomorrow."

"The fairy godmothers are gonna freak when I tell them we're engaged," I remark as I move off him and stand.

"And we can tell Aro and Heidi in person when we get to L.A. Monday," he adds as I pull him up.

"Gramps will cry," I predict, twining my arms around his neck, "which means I'll cry, too."

"I know, baby. I know," he says as he leans down to kiss me.

* * *

Late the next afternoon, Edward takes the kids to his apartment to watch a movie while he packs for our spring break trip. I hustle around my kitchen, making appetizers and drinks: The fairy godmothers are about to descend.

When I hear the back door open, I turn around to smile at Ang.

"Hi, B," she says, her husky voice tired. "How was the weekend?"

"Good," I answer, stepping around the counter to hug her and pat her just-starting-to-protrude belly. When I step away, she reaches for my hands and looks down, her shoulders sagging when she sees my bare left ring finger. While she's not looking at me, I smirk. I knew she was suspicious when I called her, so I put the ring in my pocket a few minutes ago. "Want a drink?"

"Yes," she moans. "Vodka."

I laugh loudly and pull out a barstool for her to sit down. "Sorry. I don't serve minors."

"I've been legal for 12 years!" she protests.

"But the little one isn't," I smile. She smiles back, resting her hand on her stomach. "How's the morning sickness?"

"It's better," she allows, tilting her head side to side. "But Ben is driving me crazy. He's on my ass about _everything_. If he doesn't stop quoting that stupid 'What to Expect' book, I'm going to hit him with it."

Ah, there she is. My crusty bestie. I knew she was still in there somewhere.

"I remember that. Marcus suddenly became an expert about everything, too," I say, smiling as I pour cranberry juice and carbonated water into a martini glass for her. I garnish it with a curled lemon rind, but she still rolls her eyes when I hand it to her.

"Putting a virgin drink in an adult glass doesn't make it more appealing," she grumbles as the front door opens and closes. Emma and MK must be here. Frowning, Ang pulls the curled rind off the edge of her glass. "And what the fuck is this?"

"Hey!" I protest, ripping it from her fingers and hanging it from the edge of the glass again. "It took me almost an hour to make those damn things."

"It's an NFG," Emma announces as she follows MK into the room.

"What?" I ask, turning to her.

"A non-functional garnish," she clarifies. "Its sole purpose is to sit there and look pretty. Like Heidi Klum."

"Emma, Heidi Klum has a production empire to go along with the piles of money she makes modeling," Angela says. "Bad example."

"Whatever. You got my point," Emma replies, then sticks her tongue out at Ang before turning to me. "So, Bella, what the hell's going on? Why did MK and I have to haul our asses all the way to the 'burbs on a Sunday afternoon?"

Turning away, I busy myself pouring alcoholic drinks into martini glasses for Emma and MK. Their drinks are the same shade of pink as Angela's.

"Can't a girl just want to hang out with her three best friends? I'm leaving for L.A. tomorrow, you know," I shrug, still with my back to them. I know if I look at them right now, I'll crack. "We haven't spent any time together for the last two weeks. I barely even know what's going on with you."

"Seth and I are back together," MK offers cheerfully.

"You two are off and on more than a hooker's underwear," Emma says flatly. She hasn't been quiet about her disdain for Seth over the last couple of months. But even Nessie is unhappy about the way he treats MK. "You need to break it off and mean it. Make him man up if you want him long-term."

"I do, you guys," she admits quietly. I turn around and hand glasses to her and Emma. "I really love him."

"Then make him treat you right, Mare," I say, nodding at her before I turn back to the counter to pour my own drink – from the other pitcher. I haven't been as vocal as Emma about Seth, but I feel the same.

"I told him this is his last chance," she replies. "And I'm serious."

"Good," I say firmly. I leave my drink on the counter, standing in front of it, and turn to face the girls. "Emma?"

"Status quo with Demetri," she answers, but her face softens. "He's helping me design my new catering menu."

"He's so in love with her," MK pipes up. "He sends her flowers twice a week. He calls her constantly. He even helped her cater a party last weekend."

Emma blushes, but she rolls her eyes before she looks at me. "He bartended. I was in a pinch and he was in town. No big deal," she explains. Then she moves on. "We already know Ang is knocked up and grumpy since she group texts us ten times a day with updates. So… the only other person here who could have something to share is you, Bella."

"You have something to tell us, B?" MK asks as she sips her drink. She holds her glass up, looking at the pink liquid inside. "Oh, my God! This is delicious. What's this called?"

My grin is quick, and I point at her as I answer. "It's called a bridesmaid." I point at Emma and Ang in turn as I repeat myself. "Bridesmaid. Bridesmaid."

Twisting to the side, I pick up my martini glass – full of a creamy, white drink – and hold it up for them to see. "Bride!" I exclaim.

MK's squeal is deafening as she bounces toward me. She reaches me first, but Emma and Ang are right behind her. In the awkward group hug that follows, we laugh, we cry… we spill our drinks on each other. When we break apart, Emma refills our glasses while I wash my hands and put my ring on again. They all admire it in the way best friends are required, although I can't imagine they're _pretending_ to fawn over it; the ring is gorgeous. Alice's design is unique, and the stone is large, but the dark color doesn't look too flashy.

Once they're done, I lift my glass. "To my best friends. I love you all," I say, managing to get the words out before my voice cracks. We tap our glasses and sip our drinks.

Ang is next. "To you and Edward," she toasts, her eyes shining with tears. We clink and sip again.

MK winks at me as she starts speaking. "Bella, the universe brought you two back together after all these years for a reason," she says. "I knew it the first night you saw each other last summer. To your happiness."

Clink. Sip.

Finally, it's Emma's turn. She turns to me, her lips curled into a smirk. "'Bout fucking time," she declares exasperatedly. We all laugh as we tap our glasses together.

"Have you set a date? Have you thought about what color the wedding will be? Remember I look terrible in yellow," MK chatters, talking so fast that I have trouble catching everything she asks.

"There is no fucking way we are wearing light colored dresses unless she gets married after this baby is born," Ang insists, glaring at MK. "We will not be highlighting the fact that I will be the biggest float in the parade."

I chuckle as they immediately begin to debate colors.

"Congratulations, Bells," Emma says quietly from my other side. I turn toward her and we hug tightly. "I knew SG was the one. Even though I give Mare shit about this stuff, it's hard to argue with Fate on this one."

As we pull apart to look at each other, we're both smiling.

"You're right," I agree. "It is."

* * *

Three weeks later, Alice, Rose and Esme come to Seattle for the weekend to look at wedding sites with Edward and me. Alice has named herself the wedding planner, which is fine with me as long as it doesn't get too out of hand. So far, so good.

We ask my parents to tag along – well, Edward begs my dad to come along so he's not the only guy in the hunting party. They agree and we all tour a couple of country clubs. Both places are nice, and at both places, I lift my eyebrows at Edward, silently asking for his opinion. He shrugs.

We look at the large private dining room of a restaurant. Alice likes it and busily makes notes in the big binder she's carrying. I nod, thinking the place has potential. Then I look at Edward. He shrugs.

Next, we walk through a huge, trendy bar downtown. It looks a little rough in the harsh light of day, and even though the manager assures us they host wedding receptions often, I'm not crazy about it. I'm actually relieved to see Edward shrug this time.

When we arrive at the final stop, an old shipping magnate's mansion, Alice is noticeably huffy. I presume she's irritated that Edward and I haven't agreed to any of the previous locations. When we get inside, Alice, Rose and Esme follow the event planner as she gives the tour. I link arms with my mom and follow at a slower pace, while Edward and my dad lag behind.

By today's standards, it's not really a mansion, but for the turn of the twentieth century – when it was built – it was enormous. The rooms are beautiful with ornate, carved woodwork, wide plank floors and high ceilings. We see the room where dinner would be served, and then walk across the foyer toward the parlor where the wedding ceremony would take place.

My dad has already taken up residence in one of the foyer chairs. Smiling, I stop and touch his shoulder. "Dad, what do you think?" I ask quietly.

"It's nice," he answers, making me chuckle. It's the same comment he's made about every other place – even the bar.

My mom and I shake our heads at each other as we walk away from him and into the parlor. It's pretty, and then we follow everyone else up the grand staircase to the reception ballroom on the second floor. Alice is taking more notes as the event planner continues to talk, but it's Edward who's captured my attention at the moment. He's wandering around, looking at the room… he likes it, I think. When he turns to look at me, I raise my eyebrows and he smiles.

I slide my eyes toward Alice and she's looking back at me. She must have been watching Edward, too, because she immediately asks the event planner about availability.

"Well, we were completely booked on Friday and Saturday nights until November, but we just had a wedding cancel this morning. Poor dear. She was so upset," she says, clucking her tongue a little. She continues in a hushed voice, eager to tell us the scandal. "The groom eloped last weekend with someone else."

"That's too bad. When is the open date?" Alice says, lifting up on her toes. Oh, God. She's going to start bouncing if she likes the answer.

"June nineteenth," she answers.

"Oh, that won't work," Alice laments, flat-footed again. "Barely over two months? There's no way we can get a wedding together in that amount of time."

"Why not?"

All of us turn to look at Edward.

"I really need a minimum of five months to plan this wedding," Alice informs him matter-of-factly. "The band we want doesn't have an open date until October. Plus the invitations, the flowers, the dresses… it just can't be thrown together that fast."

"Why not?" he asks again.

"Yeah, Alice. Why not?" Rosalie echoes. "You're like a freaking whirling dervish when you get going on something. They like this place. There's an open date. They've waited a long damn time to get married."

"But I want it to be perfect," Alice whines.

"It will be," Rose insists. "Because they'll finally be _married_."

My mom and I are quietly laughing as we listen to them bicker, but Edward is still standing by himself in the middle of the room. Breaking away from my mom, I walk over to him.

"You like this place, don't you?" I ask, reaching down to take his hand between both of mine.

"Yeah. What do you think?"

"It's perfect," I answer, smiling when he looks at me. "It's fast though. You really want to get married this quickly?"

"What are we waiting for?" he asks. "A fucking band? Is Alice kidding with this shit?"

"She's _your_ sister," I laugh. Then I state the obvious. "It's the day before your birthday."

"I can't think of a better way to spend my birthday than staying in bed with my wife," he says, bending down to speak quietly in my ear.

I inhale sharply, and then pull back slightly so I can see him. "Okay. I'll be a June bride."

"Who's one year older than the groom," he teases, greenest eyes shining and crooked grin in place. He stands up and turns his head toward where the others are standing. "Alice, we'll take it."

* * *

I'll give Alice credit. She controlled her outburst at the mansion… but she's not happy. She's been making lists ever since we left. Edward took my dad and escaped to my house, but the rest of us have to – I mean _get_ to – go dress shopping.

Luckily, the fairy godmothers and Sophie are meeting us at the bridal boutique. But they're late.

My mom and I look through the dresses in the "mature bride" section, while Alice is on the other side of the store, in the poufy, cake-topper-dress section.

After the fourth loud gasp, I've had enough. "Alice, you promised," I say, turning around to speak quietly… through clenched teeth.

"But, Bella," she pleads.

"No. No big, white dress," I say adamantly.

Rose has already given up and is slumped back in a chair watching me.

"Wait, Bella," she says, sitting up. "That one's pretty."

Smiling, I pull it off the rack. I think it's pretty, too.

"It's… _purple_," Alice says disgustedly as she walks toward me.

"Dusky gray," the saleslady corrects. Turning, I look at her; I like her already.

"But Bella," Alice starts.

"Alice Whitlock, sit down and zip it," Esme says. She says it teasingly, but Alice knows she's serious. She flops down in the chair next to Rosalie.

"_Fine_," she mutters.

When Sophie arrives, she and Alice, who didn't stay seated for long, pick out a couple of the princess dresses. I grudgingly agree to try them on, knowing they'll never leave me alone if I don't. But I also know I would never choose them.

In the dressing room, the saleslady, Mrs. Davis, helps me into the first princess dress. It's beautiful, but I feel like I'm trying to look 22 again. I'm not. I'm happy being a 34 year-old bride. But I smile and walk out front, where Alice reluctantly agrees that it's not me.

I try on two more dresses; one is long and cream-colored with a small train. It's pretty. And boring. The other is light pink. It's all right, but not really what I had in mind. Finally, it's time for the dusky gray dress.

It has a slight violet tinge, but it's a muted color. It's strapless with a tight bodice, a flared skirt and a short train. As soon as the sales lady zips it up, I know.

"I was afraid you weren't tall enough for this one, but it looks perfect on you," she says, peeking over my shoulder to meet my eyes in the mirror.

I nod and swallow, but can't speak.

"Oh, goodness," she says seeing the tears in my eyes. "Well, that settles it. When you know, you know." She pats my shoulder and hands me a tissue.

When I walk out to show my audience, they're all quiet – even Sophie. Amazingly, it's Alice who finally breaks the silence.

"That's it," she announces, smiling and wiping her eyes. "That's the dress you're going to wear when you marry my brother."

She stands up and walks forward, then hugs me gingerly, trying not to crush the skirt.

"Mrs. Davis," she says, turning to the saleslady. "How fast can we get this dress?"

* * *

The next few weeks pass by in a blur of flower-picking, menu-choosing, cake-tasting, and music-listening. Every time I think we're done, Alice finds some other way to torture Edward and me. But the invitations are mailed, Seth's band is booked… this wedding is happening.

In the midst of all the chaos, Edward and I decide to start counseling – as a couple and as a family. I'm not anticipating any big obstacles, but I want us to be prepared for the ups and downs of blending a family. Michael likes Edward and isn't resistant toward him, but Sophie and Chase are definitely closer to him than Michael is. Dr. Denali suggests that Edward spend extra time with Michael one-on-one to strengthen their bond.

Edward has been trying not to be too obvious, so he's played a lot of baseball and basketball with Michael in the last couple of weeks. Today, exactly two weeks before the wedding, they're on the patio planting flowers in my big pots while I'm in the kitchen cooking dinner. Sophie and Chase disappeared as soon as Edward arrived with flats of flowers from the garden center. I'm taking it as a good sign that Michael volunteered to help Edward outside.

I really don't intend to eavesdrop, but the windows are open and once I hear what they're discussing, I can't force myself to walk away.

"I don't know if I want to call you Dad," Michael says. "I mean, I want to, but I don't, you know?"

"I know," Edward responds. "Michael, there's no wrong answer here. Either way, it won't affect how I feel about you, how much I want us all to be a family. It's just a name, okay?"

"It's just…I don't want to forget my dad," he says, his voice heavy with emotion.

"I understand completely."

"Do you know very much about my dad?" Michael asks quietly.

"Your mom has shared some things with me, but not a lot. Would you like to tell me about him?"

Oh, God. I was already close to tears, but listening to Michael's memories of Marcus, hearing Edward ask questions and laugh at funny stories throws me over the edge. I stand at the stove – near the window – and let the tears fall. I blow out a big breath when Michael finally changes the subject.

"Do you think you and my mom will have a baby?"

"We'd like to, but it will have to be the right decision for the whole family," Edward explains. "How would you feel about that?"

"It'd be cool to have a little kid around. As long as it doesn't turn out like Chase," he says, laughing.

Edward laughs, too, but disagrees with him. "I think you're all pretty great. I feel very lucky."

When I hear little footsteps behind me, I hurriedly wipe my eyes. I recognize the rhythm, the shuffling of his walk and know it's Chase who has come into the kitchen.

"Mom?" he asks hesitantly.

"Yes, sweetie," I reply, turning around and smiling at him.

"Dr. Denali says I should start calling Edward Dad whenever I'm ready. But I want it to be official. That's at the end of the wedding, right?" He's standing at the end of the counter, his head ducked down, looking up from under his brow.

New tears fill my eyes as I walk toward him, clearing my throat quietly.

"Right… I think. I mean, I guess it's technically in the middle of the wedding. Or maybe it is the end. I don't know, Chase," I finally admit, chuckling. I stop beside him and put my elbows on the countertop, leaning down so we're eye level. "Maybe Edward knows. We'll ask him."

"Ask me what?" Edward asks as he walks in from the patio. The front of his t-shirt is smeared with dirt – and it's wet. But not as wet as Michael's. He's dripping his way across the floor, his shoes squeaking with every step until he's standing beside Edward. When I frown at him, he grins sheepishly.

"We got all your flowers planted, Mom," he says, sliding his eyes toward Edward.

"Thank you," I reply slowly, raising one eyebrow at them. "Looks like you two watered each other as well as the daisies." I'm secretly happy that they had fun together, but if I act excited, Michael will balk.

Edward winks at me as he answers. "Purely accidental. Right, Michael?" He claps a hand on Michael's shoulder before he continues. "We were thinking about taking everyone out for ice cream after dinner."

"The rest of you can go, but I have to fit into a dress in two weeks. No dessert for me," I state, smiling at Edward before I turn to Michael. "Dinner's almost ready. You want to change into dry clothes?"

After he agrees and heads upstairs, Edward ruffles Chase's hair. "What's up, slugger?"

"I was just wondering when you and my mom will officially be married," Chase mutters, looking down at the counter. "I mean, is it all the way at the end of the wedding or is it earlier?"

"Hmm, I think technically we're married after we say the vows," Edward answers, shifting his gaze to me briefly, and then focusing on Chase again. "But I would say it's not 'official' until the judge says we're husband and wife."

"Then that's when I'll start calling you Dad," Chase says, slowly raising his eyes to look at Edward.

"Sounds good, little man," Edward replies. He crooks his arm around Chase's shoulders and pulls him into a one-armed hug. After briefly returning the hug, Chase spins away from Edward.

"Can we go to Scoops for dessert?" he asks.

"That's where Michael wants to go," Edward replies, nodding.

"Awesome! I'm gonna tell Sophie," he announces as he races from the room.

Frowning, I shake my head at Edward as I step toward him. "Trying to buy their affection with ice cream?" I tease. When he reaches for me, I back away. "No way. You're wet and muddy."

He takes his shirt off and drops it on the counter, then pulls me close. "Better?" he asks, kissing my forehead.

"Are you kidding? You just put your filthy shirt on my clean counter," I protest. "Is this what it's going to be like living with you? Your dirty man-stuff laying all over the house?"

"Yeah, I think so," he laughs. "That okay?"

"You'll get away with it for a while," I hedge, smiling as I pull back to look up at him.

"You really won't come to Scoops with us?" he pouts.

"It's too tempting. You know I love ice cream," I explain. "Alice had to have my dress rush-shipped to get it here by next week. Do you know what she'll do to me if it won't zip?"

"You could have a mini scoop," he suggests. Then he bends down to whisper in my ear. "I'll help you work it off later."

My heart picks up speed at his suggestion. "It _is_ our last night alone before the wedding," I reason, sliding my fingers through his hair.

Alice is coming tomorrow and staying for a few days to work on last-minute details. Esme will arrive two days later for her final dress fitting. Rose is coming toward the end of the week and bringing all the kids. By the time they leave, Aro and Heidi will be here from L.A.

I love them all and am glad they're staying with me, but it means I won't have much time with Edward – or alone – during the next two weeks. So a few days ago, I made my only bridezilla demand: Everybody is out of here the day before the wedding. I want one night alone – just a few hours to be completely by myself. I told the kids they could stay, but they chose to go to the hotel with my parents and all the Cullen cousins.

"Yes, it is," he concurs, kissing along my cheek toward my lips.

"Oh, all right," I concede, turning my head to meet his lips. "Now I'm gonna have to decide if I want a mini scoop of chocolate and peanut butter or chocolate chip."

"Baby, I love you so much that I'm willing to make a sacrifice," he says, brushing his nose against mine. "Get both and I'll help you work it off _twice_."

"Wow," I laugh. "So generous of you."

"Are you serious that this is it until we're married?" he asks.

"I'm serious," I reply, arching my neck back so I can look him in the eyes. "I'm not sneaking you in while your family is here. And I think it's kind of romantic to abstain for a little while before the wedding."

Judging by Edward's answering huff, he disagrees, but he kisses me quickly before pulling away. He picks up his dirty shirt and heads for the laundry room.

"I'm going to change," he calls over his shoulder. "Maybe you should get three mini scoops for dessert. Or the four scoop mini sundae. What do you think?"

Smiling, I shake my head at his back. "I think it sounds like I won't be getting much sleep tonight," I mumble happily. As I turn back to the stove to check on dinner, I picture my dessert in my head – and pick out the four flavors for my sundae.

* * *

As Edward drives us home from the rehearsal dinner two weeks later, he glances away from the road long enough to look at me. "You're quiet tonight," he remarks.

"Am I?" I ask with a sigh as I lean over against his arm.

"Are you nervous about tomorrow?" he asks. "Having second thoughts about marrying me?"

I giggle and sit up as Edward parks in my driveway.

"No, SG," I reply insistently. "It's just nice to have a little quiet time alone with you. It's been crazy the last two weeks with all the people in my house. And the dinner tonight was fun, but loud."

He leans across the console to kiss me. "You've been great about dealing with my family," he says.

"_Our _family," I correct him, kissing him again before I pull away and start to get out.

"Hang on," he orders, opening his door. I wait until he comes around to help me out, and then raise my eyebrows questioningly. "It's the last time I'll walk you to the door and leave you here. I want to do it right."

"What about you?" I ask as we walk up the porch steps. "Are _you_ nervous about tomorrow?"

He squeezes my hand before letting go to unlock the front door with his key.

"Nope. Not even a little bit," he answers, turning toward me. Sliding my arms around his neck, I pull him down and kiss him, clutching him tightly as we move our mouths together. By the time we break apart, we're both breathing heavily. He rests his forehead against mine and strokes his fingers lightly along the side of my neck. "You sure you don't want to have one last go at pre-marital sex?"

Smiling, I tilt my head to press my lips against his once more. "I'm sure," I answer gently. "I'm going to swim, and then go to bed."

"Bella, you've been drinking," he says, frowning down at me. "You shouldn't swim alone."

"I had two glasses of wine almost two hours ago, SG," I protest, but I give in when he insists on swimming with me.

After I change, I walk outside and smile as I spot Edward hanging on to an innertube in the dark pool. A few weeks ago, when we came out to swim late at night, Ben saw the underwater lights and crashed our private party. That night, Edward said he wasn't turning on the lights next time we came out to swim alone. He was serious, I guess. I dive into the deep end and swim toward him.

"You found your trunks in the laundry room?" I ask.

"Nope, couldn't find them," he replies, smiling slyly at me. "So I'm not wearing any."

Immediately, I switch directions, kicking away toward the other end of the pool. "Stay away from me, hotshot. I know what you're up to," I laugh.

He laughs, too, but then pleads with me. "Take yours off, too. I promise I'll keep my hands to myself."

I shake my head. I argue. But he's pretty cute – and persuasive. Giving in, I swim to the side and strip my suit off, tossing both pieces onto the lip of the pool. When I turn around, he's coming toward me with the innertube.

"Here, baby," he says, pushing it toward me. He smiles at me as I hook my arms over the ring directly across from him, and then he pulls us back to the center of the pool. We hold hands in the middle of the hollow tube, and I prop my chin on the edge, closing my eyes while we float silently for a couple of minutes.

When he tightens his grip on my fingers, I open my eyes to look at him. "Want to practice our vows?" he asks quietly.

"You don't know them yet?" I ask, narrowing my stare.

"I know them," he scoffs. "I, Edward Cullen, take you, Isabella Swan DiClemente, to be my wife. I promise to love, honor and respect you."

"I promise, too," I whisper, squeezing his hands.

He continues. "I promise not to look around, fool around or argue about paint colors in good times or in bad times."

"These are _not_ the vows you were supposed to learn," I laugh, watching as he rewards me with my favorite smile.

"I made some additions," he responds. "I promise to stay out of your way when you have PMS and to show up when I'm told to – most of the time."

"_Most_ of the time?"

"Giving myself some wiggle room," he clarifies. I slide my fingers in between his, intertwining them. "I promise to apologize even when I don't know why I'm in trouble. And I'll try not to fight with you about stupid shit… but I probably will a few times every year."

"Me, too. All of that," I reply.

"I also promise to keep you satisfied in the bedroom, even when you're old and wrinkly."

"Well, that's a relief," I retort dryly, chuckling.

"I'll do everything I can to make you happy," he says seriously.

"You already do," I insist, feeling tears prick my eyes. "I love you."

"You'd better," he replies with a nod. "You're stuck with me after tomorrow."

Pulling my hands from his grasp, I dip underwater and resurface in the center of the tube. I rest my hands on his upper arms and press my lips to his. "I can't wait to be stuck with you," I murmur between kisses. "I missed you the last two weeks."

"You've seen me every day," he chuckles.

"With a million people around," I complain. "Your sister, my kids, Gramps. No one would leave us alone."

I tangle my legs with his, sliding my feet along his calves, and then wrap my legs around his waist.

"Jesus, baby. I'm trying really hard to keep my hands to myself like I said I would," he mutters, digging one hand into my hair.

"Maybe I don't want you to," I breathe. As he kisses me, I feel him start moving us toward the shallow end of the pool. When he can touch the bottom, he stands and lifts the innertube over my head, pulling me close to his chest as he buries his face in my neck. I look over his shoulder toward the house – and gasp when I see the outdoor clock hanging on the wall.

"Oh, my God! Edward, what time is it?" I ask, panicking.

"What?" he asks, but he holds his wrist up to look at his watch. "11:57."

"Fuck! Let go! _Let go_!" I hiss, scrambling away when he releases me.

"Bella, what's wrong?"

"It's almost midnight," I explain, hurrying toward the steps. "It's bad luck if we see each other on our wedding day before the wedding."

"Baby, you don't believe in that shit, do you?" he groans as I climb out of the pool.

"I never did before," I say, picking my towel up off a chair and wrapping it around myself. "But after everything that's happened – the way we found each other again so unexpectedly… so unbelievably – I'm not going to do anything to jinx it."

"You're just gonna leave me here like this?" he whines.

"I'm so sorry, Edward," I answer, turning to walk into the house. "I promise I'll make it up to you tomorrow night. I love you. Will you lock up when you go?"

"Yes," he sighs. "I love you, too. I'll see you in eighteen hours."

Stopping in the doorway, I turn around to smile at him one last time. "I wouldn't miss it."

* * *

Saturday morning, I wake up before the alarm sounds. I shuffle to the kitchen to make coffee and check the schedule Alice prepared for today. Shaking my head, I smile in amusement at her down-to-the-minute agenda. Thank goodness I have almost three hours before I have to report to the salon.

Picking up my coffee mug, I walk into the hearth room, letting my eyes rove over the family pictures hanging on the wall, and then settle on the bookshelf.

I can hear Dr. Denali in my head, urging me to make peace with the past and let it go – to look at the photo album that causes so much pain that I've avoided it for four years. Hoping for a bravery I don't really feel at the moment, I stand in front of the shelf, running my fingers down the spine of a blue leather-bound photo album before picking it up.

Sighing, I take the book with me and sit down on the loveseat. Propping my bare feet on the coffee table in front of me, I hold the book on my lap, turning pages with one hand and holding my cooling mug in the other.

There are some pictures of my childhood; a few from high school – I pause to smile at the prom picture, the graduation picture. A sorority portrait from college. A few candid photos from my wedding to Marcus.

As I continue looking through the book, I smile through my tears at the pictures of us with newborns Michael and Sophie, and then later, Chase. I laugh out loud at some of them – recalling funny moments with the kids. Marcus and I may not have been good at marriage, but we were good at friendship and parenting.

Finally, I come to the part of the book that causes my stomach to flip flop. Swallowing loudly, I turn the page and see Marcus – already looking sick even though we had just found out what was wrong with him. Tears slide down my cheeks as I study the photos on that page and the pages that follow, remembering how he tried to be strong around the kids even when his pain was almost unbearable.

When I look at the last picture in the book – a family photo of all of us taken a month before Marcus died – the momentary grief I feel is just as sharp as it was when we were living through those last horrible weeks. I press my fingers against my lips and try to hold the sobs back as I think about everything he said to me – about the kids, the company… me.

At the time, I couldn't even imagine marrying again.

In the three years that followed his death, I threw myself into the business, into mothering my children. I stayed away from dating almost entirely, overwhelmed with guilt about not loving Marcus the way I should have… overwhelmed with fear of falling in love – or never falling in love.

And then suddenly last July, Edward was standing in my yard. I'll never forget the recognition, the surprise on his face… the way my heart raced and my knees buckled as if no time had passed since high school. Every moment since then has brought us to today – and now I can't imagine _not_ marrying him.

Feeling calmer, I trace Marcus' face in the picture once more. I've never been very religious and I don't know if heaven really exists, but if it does, I think Marcus is there. And if he could see me, I think he'd be happy that I found Edward – for myself and for our kids.

After one more sigh, I close the book and stand up to put it back in its place on the shelf. Huh. What do you know? Another thing Dr. Denali was right about. I actually feel better after looking through the book. I feel more at peace. I'm ready.

Except I'm not _ready_. After glancing at the clock in the kitchen, I realize I'd better get in the shower. Alice will kick my ass if I throw us off schedule today.

* * *

"Bella, you look beautiful," Alice says, sniffling from behind me as she hooks the back of my dress.

"Thank you," I say quietly, studying my reflection in the mirror. The room is noisy, filled with the chatter of the fairy godmothers, Sophie, Esme and my mom. I turn my head slightly to try and see the low, messy side bun with white feathers tucked around it. I had to be talked into this hairstyle, but I really like it. "My hair's okay?"

"It's perfect," Alice nods.

After a brisk knock, the dressing room door opens and Rosalie sticks her head inside. "It's time, ladies. Esme, Renee, we need you two first," she announces.

"Wait! Rose, can you come in for a second?" I ask, turning around. I smile as Alice hustles to straighten the skirt so I don't wrinkle it.

Rose steps inside the room and shuts the door, leaning back against it. "No crying, Stinkerbell. You'll wreck your face," she warns, but she's grinning – and her eyes look teary.

"I won't, but I want to say something," I respond, then pause to swallow. "All of you in this room are important to me, and all of you have helped or supported me somehow in preparing for this day. So before everything gets crazy, I want to thank you. I'd like to say more, but I _will_ cry if I do. I love you all."

My mom and Esme are both wiping their eyes and Alice moves to stand in front of me, fanning my face wildly to hold back the tears. Rose winks at me before she opens the door again and escorts the moms out. Emma passes out bouquets to everyone, finishing just as Rose cracks the door again and calls for the bridesmaids. When she shuts the door, Alice and I look at each other.

"Oh, my God," I whisper. "I didn't think I would be nervous, but I feel like throwing up."

She laughs and reaches for my hand. "You'll be fine," she assures me, squeezing my hand. "I have a bunch of sappy stuff I want to say, but I don't want to have a red nose and puffy eyes for the pictures. I'll wait until the next time you visit."

"Okay," I nod. "I have things to say, too."

She sniffles. "You have all your somethings, right?"

"Old, new, borrowed, and blue," I smile, wrapping my mom's handkerchief around the stems of my bouquet.

"Then you're all set," she pronounces just as Rose opens the door.

"Let's hit it," Rose says, wiggling her eyebrows. When we step out into the hallway, I can hear the music of the string quartet in the parlor.

"He's already in there?" I whisper as we walk toward the foyer.

"Yes, hon," Rosalie replies as she pats my back. I know it's a stupid question, but I feel better after she answers. As we turn the corner into the foyer, my dad turns to look at me.

"You're a beautiful bride," he says, leaning down to kiss my cheek when I reach him. "You ready?"

"Dad, I've never been this ready for anything else in my life," I say, smiling widely at him.

He nods at me and swallows, and when I rest my hand in the crook of his left elbow, he lifts his right hand to grip mine tightly. We stand still for a few seconds while Alice straightens my train one last time.

When Alice and Rosalie open the double doors into the parlor, I immediately look to the front of the room where Edward stands. Once our eyes meet, I don't even glance at any of the fifty other guests in the room. I keep my gaze locked with his until we reach the front of the room, and then I briefly slide my eyes toward Sophie, standing next to Angela, and then toward my boys, standing on the other side of Edward.

I try to concentrate on the words Judge Peters is saying, but it's mostly a blur as my dad and Edward shake hands, and then I step forward with Edward.

"You're stunning," he says quietly as the judge asks Gramps to come forward.

"Thank you," I smile, turning to look at him. "You are, too."

We both turn toward Gramps as he reads a passage from the Bible – the same passage that was read when he married Heidi. Then, since it's Gramps, he can't resist telling everyone that he's the reason we're here today. By the time he winks at me and walks back to his seat, the crowd is laughing.

When the judge says it's time for the vows, I hand my flowers to Sophie, and then face Edward, clutching his hands tightly.

"I'm going to say the vows Alice made us learn, but I mean all the stuff I said last night, too," he whispers, smiling crookedly at me.

"Even the old and wrinkly part?" I ask.

"Especially that part," he answers, squeezing my fingers.

At Judge Peters' prompting, we each recite our vows. I try to memorize everything – the look in his eyes, the inflection in his voice, the way he bites the inside of his cheek while I'm speaking. I'm teary-eyed as he slides the wedding band onto my finger; as soon as I put the ring on him, he runs his thumb along the underside of it, and then grins at me.

Neither of us notices Chase approaching until he's standing right beside us.

"Edward?" he whispers. I watch as Edward raises his eyebrows and turns his head toward Chase. Then I look at Chase, too. "Is it official yet?"

"Not yet, slugger. But almost," Edward answers, whispering too. He smiles at Chase, then turns back to me when Chase returns to his groomsman spot while the guests quietly chuckle. "That kid really gets to me."

"I know," I smile, squeezing his hands. "I love that about you – the way you love them."

While we speak softly, the judge calls Jake forward to read the poem I selected. We face forward again to give him our attention, and then Judge Peters addresses us once more.

"Edward, when you asked me to perform this ceremony, I told you that I don't officiate at many weddings anymore," he begins, looking first at Edward and then at me. "But I was honored to do this for you and Bella. And so it gives me great pleasure to announce that you are _officially_ husband and wife. You may kiss your bride."

I'm aware that Chase says something that makes Emmett and Jasper laugh, but I can only focus on Edward for these few seconds as we turn to each other, smiling. He bends his head to mine as he wraps one arm around my waist, cupping my jaw with his other hand.

"I love you," I breathe just before he kisses me. I grip his arms as we press our lips together several times, and then pull apart, still staring at each other. From the corner of my eye, I can see that our guests are standing. I hear their applause, hear the string quartet begin playing the recessional, and I stretch up to kiss him once more before I twist away to take my flowers from Sophie.

"Edward, I can call you Dad now, right? Right, Dad?" Chase asks as I turn back toward Edward. He's standing beside Edward again, looking up from under his brow the way he does when he asks a question that's important to him.

"You bet, Chase," Edward replies as they hug. "I need to go with your mom now, but I'll meet you out in the hall, okay?"

"'kay," Chase answers, tipping his head back so he can see Edward. As I swallow the lump in my throat, I fleetingly hope that the photographer is taking pictures of them. Chase slides his eyes to me, sees the tears threatening to spill over, and then whispers loudly to Edward. "Uh oh. Mom's getting ready to blow."

"Mom's fine," I insist, reaching forward to graze Chase's cheek with the back of my fingers. I don't linger though, knowing a quick touch is okay, but he'll be embarrassed by too much motherly affection when he has an audience. He grins at me before he walks back to his spot.

"Don't cry, baby. It's all good," Edward murmurs as I slip my arm through his.

"I know," I answer, sniffing quietly and smiling at him as we start walking back up the short aisle. "I know."

* * *

The evening flies by so quickly – too quickly. I know Alice and Rose are still working behind the scenes to make sure everything goes smoothly, and it does. The food is delicious, the wine and champagne are flowing, and by the time the band starts playing upstairs, everyone seems to be enjoying themselves.

Chase and Sophie have been using every opportunity they have to say "Dad" while Michael looks on uncomfortably, not making eye contact with Edward. So I'm not surprised when I see Edward sneak Michael out of the ballroom later. Although I'm itching to follow, I know that I can't. They've got to have a relationship independent of me for this family to function. Still, I nervously watch the doorway for several minutes, but don't see them return.

When Aro asks me to dance, I accept and teasingly pull him away from Heidi.

"I'm so glad you two are here," I murmur, looking into his eyes as he wraps his right arm around my waist.

"We wouldn't be anywhere else," he answers, smiling. "Especially since I orchestrated this entire relationship."

Laughing, I lift up to kiss his cheek. "Yes, we all know that. You bragged about it in the damn middle of my wedding," I retort.

He chuckles as he answers. "It was hard work, you know, getting you and Edward to even have dinner alone. I thought I was going to have to go to Plan B."

"Which was?"

"Dragging out the sale of my company. Haggling over every detail of the contract. Forcing you two to spend a lot of time negotiating," he replies. "Any idiot could see that neither of you had business on your mind once you saw each other again."

He's right – about all of it. "Thank you, Gramps," I whisper sincerely, moving closer to him. I rest my forehead against the side of his cheek and let him lead me around the floor.

After a moment of silence, I feel his chest shake with quiet laughter. "There's my next target," he says, turning us around so I can see Demetri dancing with Heidi. "That boy's head over heels for your friend, Emma. But he's slow as molasses."

"He's wooing her," I defend, rearing back to look at him. "It's sweet."

"Yes, it is. And now it's time for him to act before she gets away," he says, his eyes twinkling as he smiles at me. "Don't worry. I have a plan."

Laughing, I bury my head against his shoulder. Poor Demetri.

"Anybody around here seen my wife?" Edward asks from behind me as the song ends.

Twisting in Aro's arms, I crane my neck back to look at my husband. "That's me!" I say, too happy to be embarrassed by the stupid, wide grin I feel break across my face. "I'm your wife."

I hear Edward's laugh as I turn around to hug Gramps, whispering my love for him and kissing his cheek again as he returns the sentiment. Then I take Edward's hand and walk with him toward the stage where Seth is calling for all the single men to gather on the dance floor for the garter toss.

I didn't want to do this tonight, but Alice proclaimed it a reception necessity… even though there are only about seven single guys here. And two of them are Chase and Michael. But I smile and sit in the chair placed in the middle of the parquet floor, my eyes focused on Edward as he kneels in front of me.

"Watch your hands, SG," I tease.

"Baby, I don't think I should put my head under your skirt right now to look at my hands," he retorts. "Our kids are in here."

"You're hilarious," I remark dryly, but I can't help the giggle that escapes as he skims his hands up my leg. As he begins sliding the garter down, I speak without moving my lips. "Make sure our boys don't get it. That's creepy."

"Already handled, Mrs. Cullen," he says, leaning forward to kiss me just before he pulls the garter free and stands.

After turning to check out the positions of the guys behind him, he aims the garter and shoots it like a rubber band over his shoulder… right at Demetri. And, of course, tall, athletic Demetri catches it – then turns to look at Emma.

"You're up," Edward says as I stand. "You know who's supposed to get the bouquet, right?"

"Did Aro set this up with you?" I ask, frowning. Alice interrupts before Edward can respond, but the amusement in his eyes is answer enough.

"Here you go," Alice smiles, handing the smaller version of my bouquet to me. She takes my arm and guides me to the middle of the floor.

As Edward walks away, I call after him. "Do you just do whatever that crazy, old man tells you to do?" I tease.

He turns to face me and shrugs, walking backward off the dance floor. "Well, yeah. It's working out for me so far." He winks at me and then turns back around, leaving me laughing behind him.

Alice positions me facing away from the group of women vying for the bouquet.

"On the count of three, Bella," Seth says into the mic, smiling at me from the small stage. "One… two… three!"

Instead of throwing the bouquet over my shoulder, I quickly turn around to face the ladies. Spotting my target, I aim the flowers in her direction. "Emma!" I call. I watch her closely as she catches the bouquet, then looks at me.

Shaking her head, she walks toward me as the band starts playing again. "You're pushing," she remarks as we hug.

"Nudging," I argue, chuckling.

"You just want me to be as miserable as you will be," she jokes.

We break apart when Ang and MK join us and we spend a few songs dancing – until Ang basically stops moving and holds her belly.

"I need to sit," she moans when Ben comes to check on her.

As the band plays a slow song, I look around for Michael, walking toward him when I spot him standing with Edward.

"Aw, Mom," he gripes when I pull him to the dance floor with me. "Why doesn't Chase have to do this?"

"He already did," I reply smugly. "When you and Edward were gone. Where did you two go anyway?"

"Outside. Edward wanted to talk to me," he answers as we sway side-to-side with the music.

"About what?" I pry, then regret it.

"Guy stuff," he mutters with a shrug.

"Oh. Okay," I say, somewhat relieved that he didn't tell me. It should just be between them. "I love you very much, you know."

"Mom," he groans, dragging the word out and making me laugh. "We're in public. You promised not to do that stuff in public anymore."

"Sorry," I chuckle, leaning down slightly to kiss the side of his head. "I'll stop."

As the song ends, I see Edward winding his way through the crowd toward us.

"I think Edward's coming to save you from your overly affectionate mother," I murmur, prompting Michael to pull away and look up at me.

"Mom, I'm glad you and Edward are married now," he says.

"Me, too," I agree as tears spring to my eyes.

"Because he won't be sneaking out all the time in the middle of the night anymore," he laughs, ducking away when I grab for him.

"Michael Marcus DiClemente!" I hiss, trying not to laugh.

"Well, you guys were pretty loud."

"What? Loud?" I ask, horrified that he heard us. I press my hands against my suddenly upset stomach.

"Yeah, Mom," he nods. "My room is right over the garage and I could hear the door going up and down in the middle of the night. And Edward's car engine is noisy, too."

Relieved that he didn't mean what I thought he meant, I exhale, then lean into Edward when he stands next to me. Wrapping his arm around my back, he steadies me and looks quizzically at me. I shake my head and smile; that explanation will have to wait until later.

"Can I go now?" Michael pleads.

"Yes," Edward answers, putting a hand on Michael's shoulder. "Your mom and I are leaving soon, but we'll call you guys tomorrow at your grandparents' house. You'll help take care of everyone just like we talked about, right?"

"Yep," he responds. "See you next week!"

He turns and rushes away before I can even hug him again. Edward pulls me into his arms to dance while I watch Michael hastily retreat, part of me wishing he at least _acted_ like he will miss me while I'm gone.

"Baby, he's fine," Edward murmurs, capturing my attention.

"I know. That's the problem," I say sardonically, but I smile up at him. "We're really leaving soon?"

"Limo's already waiting out front," he replies, bending his head to rest against mine.

"All my stuff is in the dressing –," I begin.

"Alice already packed it. It's in the limo," he assures me.

Leaning into him, I sigh happily. "She drove me a little crazy, but she really did make everything today so wonderful," I remark.

"She drives _everyone_ a little crazy, but, yes, she did," he agrees, smirking slightly. I hmm and let my eyes slide closed for the rest of the song, stroking my fingers idly along the nape of his neck just above the collar of his tuxedo shirt. When the music stops, I pull away slightly, pausing to kiss him before I step away.

"Let's go," I say, reaching for his hand. I can't stop smiling as we move through the room, saying goodbye to our guests, our families. I hug MK, Emma and Ang tightly, and then look around for Alice, but I don't see her.

"Alice is downstairs," Edward whispers, pulling me toward the staircase. "She wants to be the last one to see us before we leave."

She's waiting at the open front door, beaming at us as we approach. I stand aside as she and Edward hug, smiling when whatever he says to her makes her laugh loudly and punch his arm. When he kisses her cheek and then lets her go, she turns toward me as Edward walks to the limo.

"I can never thank you enough for everything you've done," I say, swallowing the lump in my throat. "Today was more perfect than I ever imagined."

"I'm so glad, Bella," she says, her voice thick with emotion, too. "And I'm so sorry about the way I acted last summer. I was such a bitch."

"Yes, you were," I laugh as I hug her. "But I made plenty of mistakes, too. I'm grateful you forgave me… grateful everything has worked out so perfectly."

She loosens her hold on me and rears back to look at me. "Yeah. You finally got your happy ending."

"Happy _beginning_, Alice," I say, smiling slightly at her, and then turning to look at Edward, waiting patiently beside the open back door of the limousine. "This is my happy beginning."

After another quick squeeze and a promise to call her as soon as we get back from the honeymoon, I walk toward Edward, kissing him once before I climb in the back. He helps me get all the skirt material in the car, laughing by the time he closes the door and walks around to the other side.

As soon as he's in, I let my upper body slide sideways, sighing dramatically as I rest against his shoulder.

"God, it feels good to sit down," I say.

"Tired, baby?"

"Tired of standing, yeah," I answer. "Not too tired for other stuff if that's what you were asking."

"It wasn't," he laughs. "But that's good to know, wife."

Gasping quietly, I push up and twist to the side to look at him. "That's it!" I say excitedly. "That's the nickname I like."

"Wife?" he asks, raising his eyebrows in amusement.

"Yes," I nod. "Say it again."

"Wife," he says softly, leaning over to kiss me.

"Again." I wrap my arms around his shoulders to hold him in place.

"Wife," he murmurs against my lips. "Wife."

As he deepens the kiss, he lifts his hands to cup the sides of my neck. We press our lips together and then pull apart over and over. He lets one hand drop to my leg, rubbing lightly before I feel him begin to pull at my skirt.

"Are you under there somewhere?" he chuckles.

"Yes, way under there. We don't have time for that anyway," I chide, tilting my head to the side when he kisses down my neck.

"I wasn't trying to do _that_," he insists, then grins slyly when I push him back to look at him. "Okay, I _was_ trying to."

Laughing, I hug him, and then peek out the window over his shoulder. "We're almost to the hotel," I remark, gently moving out of his arms. But I take his hand and hold it in my lap, staring down at the platinum band circling his ring finger. Just before I look away, I glance at his watch. "Edward, look what time it is!"

"Just after midnight," he observes, and then teases me. "Is there some rule that I can't see you the day after our wedding, too?"

"No," I respond quietly as I turn my head his way. "It's your birthday."

His smile is genuine and wide as it spreads across his face. "It is. I forgot all about it."

Leaning over, I press my lips to his, and then kiss along his cheek to his ear. "Happy birthday, Edward," I whisper.

"I _am_ happy, wife," he answers softly, squeezing my fingers.

Resting my head against his, I sigh contentedly. I'm happy, too.


	32. Chapter 32

**A/N: This is the last chapter. Thanks so much for reading.**

* * *

_Left to right  
__Up and down, love  
I push up love, love everyday  
Jump in the mud, oh  
Get your hands dirty with  
Love it up on everyday  
_

* * *

BPOV

**August…**

"Demetri and Emma are pulling into the driveway," Edward announces as he walks into the kitchen. He stops behind me and wraps his arms around my waist while I continue making hamburger patties. "Whose idea was it to have people over on the night your parents have the kids?"

"Yours," I laugh, turning my head to kiss him when he bends down. "But we still have tomorrow… _alone_."

"I checked in with Alice today, so she shouldn't bother us tomorrow," he mumbles against my lips.

"And my girls know the drill," I reply, leaning away to look at him. "They won't bug us after tonight."

He pulls at me until I turn around to face him, holding my messy hands to the side as he presses me against the counter and kisses me again.

"Don't you two ever give it a rest?" Emma asks disgustedly when she comes in. "You've been married almost two months now."

Edward straightens up, but doesn't let me go.

"We can't help it. We never get to be alone," I whine, turning to look at her.

"Newsflash: You're not alone now either. So knock it off," she orders with a smirk. "And wash your hands. We have something to tell you and I don't want your hamburger fingerprints all over me."

"You have something to tell us? Something that's going to make me want to hug you?" I ask excitedly, breaking away from Edward. "Are you getting married?"

"If I say yes, do you promise to keep the meat juice off me?" She's still smirking, but I can tell by the way her eyes are lit up that I'm right.

"Yes."

"Then yes," she answers. "We're engaged!"

Gasping, I move toward her and hug her tightly, keeping my wrists flexed so I don't get her dirty, as promised.

"I'm so happy for you guys," I whisper. "I love you, Emma."

"I'm so happy, B. I had no idea I would be act like such a girl when Demetri proposed though," she says disdainfully.

"Did you cry?" I ask, pulling away to look at her.

"Big, ugly sobs," she says, sighing and shaking her head. "And I jumped up and down."

"You did not!" I gasp.

"Totally did," she admits. Then she looks at me seriously. "I swear to God I'll hurt you if you tell SG that I'm not as scary as he thinks I am."

"I won't tell," I reply, laughing.

When Ang and Ben, and then MK and Seth arrive, we go through the whole thing again. Eventually, the guys retreat outside to the grill while Emma and I finish up the side dishes. Holding her lower back, Ang shuffles to the table and sits down.

"If I don't have this kid soon, I'm convinced it's going to come clawing its way out of my belly like in that one movie," she complains. She exhales loudly and rests her hands on her bulging stomach. "I can't breathe, my ankles are so swollen they have rolls, and now that I'm sitting in this chair, I have no idea how I'll get back up."

"Sweetie, you're almost done," I soothe, glancing over at her. "Only two more weeks until your due date."

"Yeah, yeah," she mutters. "One of you bitches had better bring a good, strong martini to the hospital for me."

"You know I will," Em laughs, picking up the pitcher Ang brought over tonight. "What about these? Can we have them now?"

"Yep," Ang sighs. "God knows _someone_ should be drinking."

Once the drinks are poured – and Ang has a bottle of water – we all raise our glasses.

"To Emma, who finally found her cosmic match in this big, crazy universe," MK pronounces. Emma immediately protests all the Zen crap, and the sound of the two of them bickering drives me to drink half the liquid in my glass. Well, the drink also tastes really damn good.

By the time they stop fighting and start drinking, I've lowered my glass to look suspiciously at a giggling Ang.

"What's it called?" I ask with a heavy sigh, realizing what the clear, yellow drink resembles and anticipating a disgusting name… but I'm wrong.

"The baby maker," she laughs, dropping her head back, and then moaning a little when her stomach shakes too much.

Emma spits the liquid in her mouth back into the glass, and then sets it down loudly on the granite counter.

"What the hell? I don't want a baby right now," she says, glaring at Ang as if the drink will _actually_ make her pregnant.

"If you drink enough of that you will," Ang retorts.

"No. Drinking a lot of this will make us drunk and horny," MK chimes in.

"Which is how we get knocked up," Ang says, exasperation evident in her voice. "Point proven."

"Bella's glass is almost empty," Em remarks amusedly.

"I did that before I knew what the damn drink was called!" I protest, feeling my cheeks heat.

"But you want a baby with Edward," MK says softly, staring me down. "I know you do."

"Yeah, I do," I admit, smiling at her. "I'm going off the pill next month. But, realistically, I know it could take a while."

"Well, if you can get your parents to keep taking the kids one weekend every month, you'll increase your odds substantially," Ang teases. Suddenly, she hisses and sits up straight, grabbing her lower back for the third time since she arrived. "Fuck! These back spasms are killing me!"

Emma looks at me with concern, and then raises her eyebrows, asking wordlessly if I'm thinking what she's thinking. I nod minutely at her, and then walk to the table.

"Lean forward, sweetie. I'll rub your back," I say softly, standing behind her chair. Immediately, she sets her arms on the table and rests her head on them, groaning as I move my knuckles in small circles on each side of her spine. From the corner of my eye, I see Emma and MK sneak silently out the patio door and head for Ben. "How long have you been having these?"

"I don't know," she exhales. "Three hours maybe."

"Have they been getting more regular? Like about every five minutes?" I ask, still trying not to alarm her. But I know she'll get it in a minute.

"Yes! How did… you… know?" she replies, her voice trailing off. "Oh, no. Oh, no. Oh, shit."

"Shh. It's okay," I whisper as I feel her start to shake.

"It's not, Bella," she answers, sounding panicked. "I'm in labor, right? I'm in labor, and soon a _person_ is going to come out of me. And I'm gonna have to be its mother. And I'm already flunking my first mother thing by not realizing I'm in fucking labor!"

I see Ben walking toward the door, wide-eyed and dazed. Twenty minutes later, Ben and Angela get into the backseat of my car so I can drive them to the hospital.

"I'll be right behind you," Edward says, opening the driver's door for me.

"You won't forget her bag?"

"Emma and MK already went to get it," he answers, smiling.

Hearing Ang gasp in pain again, I stretch up to kiss Edward, wrapping one arm around his neck. "I love you. I'll see you there," I say.

"See you there," he echoes, closing the door for me after I get in.

Six hours later, we all meet Abigail Weber Cheney.

* * *

**Late October…**

"Jesus! Why can't anyone else in this house put stuff away correctly?" I grumble. I rearrange the silverware drawer loudly, separating the tablespoons from the teaspoons and moving the knives so they're all facing the same direction.

"What's with all the noise, baby?" Edward asks as he comes inside and shuts the patio doors. It's raining outside, so he's sopping wet and I see him shake his head, sprinkling droplets of water all over the inside of the French doors – the _glass_ French doors.

I close my eyes and take a deep breath before speaking, but counting to ten – okay, seven – doesn't do anything to calm my temper.

"Did you do this? Unload the dishwasher and put the silverware away like this?" I snap. I already know the answer since the kids have been at my parents' house since last night and _I _sure as hell didn't make a mess out of this drawer. But I want him to admit it.

"Yeah, I did. What's the matter?" he asks, slowing down before he reaches me. He's eyeing me like he knows he might want to make a hasty retreat.

"You didn't put the spoons _or_ the knives away correctly. And while we're on the subject, quit putting the glasses in the cabinet upside down. That's not how they go," I say, raising my voice at him.

"Jesus Christ, what the hell is the big damn deal?" he mutters, walking over to the cabinet behind me. "I was trying to help."

"It doesn't _help_ me when I have to come along behind you and re-do everything," I say testily. I look over my shoulder at him, but he's facing away from me as he turns over all the glasses he put away earlier.

"What's your problem with me, Bella?" he inquires. "Your parents took the kids so we could spend some time by ourselves, but you hardly spoke to me last night before you passed out on the couch at nine. And now you're clearly irritated as fuck with me. Maybe I should just go. Give you some space."

"You want to leave me?" I croak. Immediately, tears fill my eyes.

I see his shoulders heave as he sighs deeply before he turns around, smiling softly at me. "No, honey. I just thought maybe you needed some time to yourself. You've been a little… moody the last few days."

Nodding, I swipe away the tears running down my cheeks. "I know. I'm sorry," I whisper.

"It's okay, baby. Just tell me what's wrong."

Sniffling, I shake my head. "I don't know what's wrong. I think maybe I have a virus, or a parasite," I say with a shrug.

"A parasite?" he asks, eyebrows lifted. He looks like he's trying not to laugh… which pisses me off all over again.

"Yes, Edward, a parasite. My stomach has been upset for days and I'm really tired. Everything makes me cry," I spit, glaring at him. As I continue, though, I feel the anger drain away as I connect the dots. "And now even my boobs… hurt… oh… my… God."

"What?" he looks concerned now.

"I'm so stupid… I didn't realize," I mumble, looking down, wishing I was better at keeping track of my periods. I count backwards… it was a Thursday… I think it's been five weeks.

"Bella, you're scaring me. What's the matter?"

"I think I'm pregnant," I say quietly, raising my eyes to his.

"How?"

"_Edward_," I huff in exasperation.

"I mean… you just went off the pill… I was in L.A. for ten days last month… Chase is in our bed half the time," he reasons. He looks a little shell-shocked.

Rolling my eyes, I grab his hand and walk out of the kitchen, pulling him along behind me. "It only takes one time, hotshot. Let's do a test."

Several minutes later, he stands in the doorway of our bathroom reading the test instructions over and over. I tried to tell him that no one reads that crappy pamphlet that comes in the box, but he's a read-the-small-print kind of lawyer, so he's undeterred… or maybe he's uncomfortable watching me pee on the little stick.

When I'm finished, he follows me to my sink, standing behind me as I set the test down and wash my hands. I'm trying to avoid looking for a minute, trying not to get too excited just in case it really _is_ a parasite. In the mirror, I see him folding the instructions – not looking at the test either.

After I dry my hands, I take a deep breath and look down. Immediately, Edward steps forward, wrapping his arms around my waist from behind and peering over my shoulder. Neither of us speaks for a moment, but the result is clear.

"Is that….does that mean….yes?" asks the man who just spent seven minutes reading the damn instructions. But at the moment, I'm too happy to be a smartass. Looking up, I meet his gaze in the mirror and nod.

"You're going to be a dad," I say quietly, smiling through the tears in my eyes.

His eyes look watery, too, but he frowns. "I'm already a dad," he reminds me.

"You're right. You are," I agree. "You're going to be a dad _again_."

I turn and put my arms around his shoulders. He picks me up, holding me tightly against his still-damp chest for a moment before he sets me down on the counter next to the test.

"But I got to be here for the fun part this time," he says, smirking as he leans back to look at me.

"Watch it, SG. Pregnant or not, I can still kick your ass," I answer, quirking one eyebrow the way I know he likes.

"No doubt, baby," he says, sliding his hands from my back down to rest on the outside of my hips. "I love you." He rests his forehead against mine, closing his eyes and swallowing loudly.

"I love you, too," I murmur, sliding one hand into the back of his hair and pulling my fingers through the wet strands unhurriedly.

"Can I get you anything?" he asks after a moment. "Pickles? Ice cream?"

Chuckling lightly, I tilt my head and kiss him. "No cravings yet, SG… except for you."

"Well, that craving is one I can definitely do something about, wife," he answers, kissing me again as he picks me up and carries me to bed.

* * *

The months fly by quickly, marked by the steady expansion of my belly. I swear I didn't show this fast with Chase, but we've had two sonograms to confirm there's only one baby in there.

Dr. Denali was especially pleased by the baby news – probably because now she has a reason to continue counseling us. The kids seem excited so far, but the reality is that a new person added to the household could upset the still-delicate balance at home. Edward and I are alone with Dr. Denali one day in late February when he brings up the subject of adoption… again.

"This feels like the right time to me," he says insistently when I argue that it's too soon.

"I'm just not sure how far we should push Michael," I say, turning to reach for his arm. "He's doing so well, but you know this has been difficult for him, Edward. Piling expectations on him, making him feel like he has to choose between you and Marcus, deciding whether to change his last name might be too much."

"I know, but I don't think you're giving him – or _me_ – enough credit," Edward insists. "We're close, Bella. And I don't think he'll object to this, especially once we explain that it's just a formality. I don't expect him to magically start calling me dad. There's no pressure to choose between Marcus and me. Marcus will always be their dad. And I don't expect any of them to change their names. This is _my_ commitment to them."

He's so impassioned, so eager to prove to them that he's just as much their dad as he is this new baby's that I can't bear to hold him off any longer. We spend most of the rest of our session making a plan of action to present the idea to the kids. I don't think there will be any resistance from Sophie and Chase, but I'm afraid Michael will balk. And that will hurt Edward, no matter how much he says he's prepared for the possibility.

But instead of voicing my worries, I'm supportive, I smile back when Edward turns to beam at me. And that night when we sit down in our bed for a family meeting – still held in pajamas – I sit right next to him, winding my arm through his. With tears in my eyes, I listen to him talk to the kids, his voice persuasive as he explains his reasons – the emotional ones and the legal ones. He's patient when they ask questions, never skimming over the things that are difficult to answer.

"Can we have a few minutes to talk about it?" Michael asks.

"You can have as long as you need," Edward replies. "You don't have to decide tonight."

When they hop off the bed and leave the room, I lean over against Edward's shoulder with a sigh.

"They took it okay, I think," he remarks, turning his head to kiss the top of mine.

"They love you," I whisper, wiping at the wetness under my eyes. "And so do I. No matter what happens, Edward, we're a family. The five of us are a family."

"Five and a half," he says, twisting to put his hand on my stomach. He tries to look like he's paying attention for the next couple of minutes as I chatter about fetal development and upcoming doctor appointments, but he's distracted… nervous.

He sits up straighter when the bedroom door opens and the jury comes filing back in. I hear him take a deep breath as the kids climb onto the bed again.

"Okay, we're in," Michael says. He's smiling slightly, but the other two kids are grinning widely. "What do we have to do?"

"Uh, I'm not entirely sure," Edward answers, making us all laugh.

"Jeez, Dad, what kind of lawyer _are_ you?" Sophie teases.

"A corporate one," he retorts, turning to smile at me. "I'll get my phone and call Judge Peters at home."

Two hours later, I climb into bed after washing my face. Edward is reading, but I'm sleepy. I turn my bedside lamp off and lean over to kiss him.

"Night, SG."

"I told you Michael would be fine," he says as I pull away. "I know my kids."

"Oh, God. Do you always have to gloat?" I moan.

"No. I only gloat when I'm right," he answers, smirking. "I'm just right _a lot_."

"Yeah, and you're also annoying," I laugh, lying down and rolling to face away from him.

"In general or just right now?" he asks, amused. He turns off his light and lies down, scooting up behind me.

"Just right now, but don't press your luck," I say, reaching behind me to grab his arm. I pull it around me and link my fingers with his.

"Okay," he agrees. His voice is hushed when he continues. "It's a big deal though. It's a really big deal to me that they agreed."

I lift our hands up and press my lips against the side of his thumb. "It's a really big deal to me, too, Edward."

He takes a shaky breath, his chest pushing against my back. "I want to be good enough for them. For all of you."

"Edward, you're a great dad. The kids are happier than they've been in years," I say, rolling over to face him. "I'm happy. Are you happy?"

"Yeah," he answers quietly, smiling as I scoot closer. "I don't know how this day could have been better."

"Well, I can think of _one_ way." I lean forward to kiss him.

"Yeah, there is that," he murmurs against my lips. Reaching for the front of my pajama shirt, he unbuttons it partway and slips his hand inside.

"The door," I whisper. "I don't think it's locked."

"Yes, it is," he answers, using his thumb to circle my nipple.

"I love it when you're sneaky," I sigh, tilting my head back as he kisses down my neck.

"I know, wife. I know."

* * *

**April**

As winter turns to spring, Emma is consumed with wedding plans, Angela is in full mom-mode, MK breaks up with Seth, and I keep growing. Much to everyone else's amusement, my bridesmaid dress has to be custom-made to accommodate the belly. Finally, though, the wedding weekend arrives, and all of us fly down to Los Angeles.

Emma and Demetri get married outdoors in a beautiful garden at a country club. I cry through the beginning of the ceremony, standing next to my tough, often abrasive friend who is completely undone by the man standing beside her. And he feels the same way about her.

He accepted my offer to transfer to the Seattle office soon after they got engaged, and he moved up north two months ago. But since his family – and Aro and Heidi – live down here, they decided to hold the wedding in a closer, and sunnier, location to them.

From behind me, I hear Baby Abigail laughing. Ben and the baby are sitting right in front of my kids, who think Abigail is the cutest thing they've ever seen. I'd be willing to bet that they're responsible for the persistent giggles. Glancing to my left, I meet Angela's gaze and we smile at each other as we listen to her. Ang is just as great a mom as I knew she'd be, and Ben is crazy about both of his girls.

When Emma turns to hand me her bouquet before she faces Demetri to say her vows, she widens her eyes and leans close for a second.

"Oh, my God, B. I'm fucking getting married," she whispers through clenched teeth, never losing her smile.

My shoulders shake with silent laughter. "I fucking know," I reply just as quietly. "Now turn around and finish the job."

As Emma recites her vows, MK is sniffling on the other side of Ang. She's as positive as ever about finding her perfect cosmic love, but breaking up with Seth was difficult for her. She hasn't really dated anyone since him, but she flirted all night long last night with one of Demetri's friends. I know she'll be okay… and now that she seems ready to move on, I'm totally going to set her up with one of the lawyers Edward hired in Seattle. I think they're perfect for each other.

As we applaud Emma and Demetri's first married kiss, I turn to look at Edward and the kids in the crowd. They're all looking at the newlyweds, but when I slide my eyes to the left, I meet Gramps' twinkling gaze. With a wink and smile, he points to his chest, silently taking credit.

"I helped," I mouth to him, then laugh quietly as he holds his thumb and forefinger up about an inch apart.

When Emma turns to get her bouquet from me, tears fill my eyes again. "Congratulations," I say quietly, leaning forward to kiss her cheek.

"Love you," she whispers. I return the sentiment and we smile at each other before she turns away to walk up the aisle.

* * *

**May**

"Jesus, these bleachers are hard on the ass, aren't they?" Emma says lowly.

"Yes. That's why I told you to bring a cushion," I remind her.

"I'm not carrying some padded ass seat around like a grandma," she grouses, wiggling around next to me. "Or a pregnant lady who's about to pop."

"Shut up," I laugh, elbowing her lightly. "I still have five weeks to go."

"I know how long you have left, but you look miserable."

"I'm not miserable," I protest. "I'm doing fine except for spending four or five nights a week sitting on these bleachers. By the end of the game, I can hardly get up."

"This conversation does not encourage me to ever have a kid," she laughs. She pulls off her sunglasses and squints out at the field, lifting a hand to shield her eyes from the setting sun. "What number is Michael?"

"Nineteen," I answer, looking out at the field from our seats on the first row right behind home plate. "Playing shortstop."

From my other side, Edward leans forward to rattle off Michael's batting average and on-base percentage to Demetri.

"What are they talking about?" Emma whispers.

"Don't ask. It's a forty-five minute explanation if you get Edward going about it," I giggle.

The game is exciting and close. We're down by one in the eighth inning with one out. Michael's on third base, ready to score the tying run if there's a hit. When we hear the crack of the bat, we all start cheering. I watch as the second baseman scoops up the ball and fires it toward the catcher.

"Run, Michael!" I yell as he sprints toward home.

"The catcher," Edward mutters. He's right. The kid is blocking the plate.

I gasp quietly in horror as Michael slides feet first into him.

"Safe!" the umpire calls.

The crowd around us yells and whistles, but I'm watching Michael roll from side to side in the dirt, holding his knee. Edward jumps to his feet and I can tell he wants to go, but he looks at me.

"Go!" I insist, struggling to stand. "Demetri can help me."

Before I'm steady on my feet, Edward is on the field, and the coach moves aside to let him kneel beside Michael. I can't hear what he says, but I hear Michael's answer.

"I felt something pop in my knee, Dad," he says, lying still now but still grimacing in pain.

Raising my hand to cover my mouth, I walk to the fence. Edward is talking quietly to Michael as he gingerly presses his fingers around Michael's knee, giving no indication that Michael just called him Dad for the first time. A moment later, Edward and the coach lift Michael to his feet and help him hobble toward the dugout as the crowd applauds. Demetri lets me lean on him as we walk to meet them.

Knowing Michael will be embarrassed if I act too upset, I try to be cool as we approach. Michael is sitting on the dugout bench with Edward crouched at his feet, holding an ice pack on his knee. I stop behind him, curling my fingers through the chain link fence and looking pleadingly at Edward.

"He's okay, B," Edward says softly. "We'll get an x-ray at the ER, but Michael wants to watch the rest of the game first."

"Okay," I whisper, nodding.

"Mom, Demetri," Michael says, twisting around to look at us, "did you see me score? I tied it up."

"It was the best play of the game," Demetri says excitedly. "Of course we saw it."

I sigh amusedly as I listen to them recount the play, cringing when Michael describes how his knee felt after crashing into the catcher. Once the game is over, we head for the hospital where we find out that Michael's knee is only sprained. But it's almost midnight when we finally get home with crutches and pain medicine.

Edward gets Michael upstairs and into bed, and I join them a few minutes later.

"Quit looking so worried, Mom," he says as I walk into his room. "I'm fine."

I get him to sit up and take his medicine, and then Edward tells him goodnight and heads downstairs. When I bend down to kiss the top of his head and start to turn off his bedside lamp, he looks up at me.

"Did you hear what I said to Edward tonight?" he asks quietly.

"Yes," I answer, swallowing around the sudden lump in my throat.

"It's kinda weird," he says, bowing his head and looking down. "I don't want to forget about Dad, but I feel like Edward's my dad, too."

"I know. And you know that Edward understands."

"Yeah. He told me that when we were waiting at the hospital," he nods. "He said it's no big deal if I never say it again, but I think he liked it. You know?" He tips his head back to look at me again, smiling slightly.

"I'm sure he liked it," I answer honestly.

"I'm glad you married him," he says, yawning. When he lies down again, I cover him up and bend down to kiss him.

"I'm glad I married him, too," I smile. I turn out the light and walk toward the door.

"Mom?" he asks sleepily. I turn around to look at him in the shadowy light from the hallway. "Tell Dad I said goodnight."

"Okay, sweetie. I'll tell him."

When I get downstairs, Edward's not in our room. He's not in the kitchen. He's not in the office or the living room, but as I pass the front door, I notice it's unlocked. Stepping outside, I see him standing at the railing on the far end of the porch.

"Edward?" I ask quietly as I reach him. He hmms without really answering and lifts the beer bottle he's holding to his lips. "What's wrong?"

He drinks heartily and swallows before speaking. "It fucking sucks to find out you're not nearly as honorable as you thought."

"Me?" I ask, confused.

"No, me," he sighs. Standing beside him, I put my arm around his back, rubbing up and down slowly. "All this time, I told Michael it didn't matter if he called me Dad or not. All this time, I thought I was being truthful with him. But when he called me Dad today, it made me so fucking happy, Bella."

"Did it change the way you feel about him?"

"No," he says forcefully, turning to look at me. "Of course not."

"Then why are you upset?"

"Because I've told him for a year now to call me whatever he wants," he says, turning away from me again. "But now that he's said it once, I really fucking want him to say it again. And that makes me feel like shit."

"It's completely normal, Edward," I soothe. "And he knows you liked it. He told me."

He chuckles quietly and takes another drink. "He's a perceptive kid."

"He also told me to tell you he said goodnight… Dad."

He smirks and shakes his head slightly. "That feels incredible and horrible at the same time," he muses. "Come here."

He sets his beer down on the railing and pulls me to stand in front of him, wrapping his arms around me to rest on my stomach. I lean back against him, covering his hands with mine.

"It's all gonna work out, Edward," I say quietly.

"I know," he agrees, kissing the side of my head. When the baby moves under our hands, he bends forward to look over my shoulder, chuckling. "I'll never get used to that."

"Well, you won't have that many more chances," I answer with a yawn. "This baby is coming soon."

"I can't wait."

"Me neither," I respond, then flinch when I get poked in the ribs. "Especially since this kid is kicking the shit out of me."

He laughs, shifting away from me to pick up his empty beer bottle. "Bella, you never disappoint. You know that? You always know the right thing to say to me."

"Yep, SG. You're pretty fucking lucky to have me around," I say teasingly, smiling up at him.

Laughing harder, he slips his arm around my shoulders, pulling me closer as we walk inside. "Yes, I am, wife. Yes, I am."

* * *

**June**

Two weeks later, we've finished the interviews and home study required for the adoptions to be finalized, and will sign the papers and make it official in eight days. I'm relieved… and excited… and miserable. I've reached that point in my pregnancy where I can't breathe, can't move well, and can't wait until the delivery.

"This sucks balls," I complain, sitting on the side of the bed. Edward is behind me, his legs extended on the outside of mine, performing what has become our ritual the last few nights. My shirt is pushed up, Edward's hands are covered with lotion, and he's rubbing my aching lower back.

"Three more weeks, honey," he consoles.

"Or less," I grumble. "Maybe I could talk the doctor into doing the C-section early."

He laughs and presses his lips to the skin of my shoulder. When there's a knock at the door, he pulls the material of my tank top down before he answers.

"Come in."

"I thought you kiddos were in bed," I say when I see all three of them in the doorway.

"No, we've been having a meeting in Sophie's room," Michael announces. "But we want to talk to you guys now."

"Okay. What's going on?" I ask nervously. Edward scoots away, and then piles pillows against the headboard for me to lean against. None of them speaks as I awkwardly move around until I'm comfortable… well, as comfortable as I'm going to get until the baby is born.

"Um, we've, um, been talking the last few days about how everything's going to change when the baby comes. I mean, our family will change," Michael begins. Edward reaches for my hand and we smile at each other for a brief second before turning our attention back to the kids.

"One thing I'm _not_ changing is diapers," Chase pipes up.

"Gotcha, buddy. No diaper duty," Edward answers.

"Well, we were talking about how you two both have four names in your whole name and how we think the baby should, too, so it matches you," Michael says.

"Okay, we'll consider that," I say after shrugging at Edward and receiving a shrug and slight nod in return. We still haven't decided on a name for the baby.

"And we think we should match, too," Sophie says. "If it's okay with Dad."

I wait for her to explain, but she doesn't. Frowning, I turn to look at Edward. He's also frowning, clearly not understanding her either. Seeing our puzzled looks, Sophie rolls her eyes and huffs out an exasperated breath.

"Catch on, parents. We want to match," she says again. "I want to be Sophia Swan DiClemente Cullen."

"Michael Marcus DiClemente Cullen," Michael says proudly. I'm trying to hold the sobs in, but don't stand a chance against the tears.

"Chase Charles DiClemente Cullen," Chase finishes.

I look over at Edward and see that he's having trouble holding it together, too. His eyes are shining and he can barely speak when he tries.

"I'd love that," he replies hoarsely. "I've told you before that I don't expect you to change your last name, but it makes me incredibly proud and happy that you want to."

"So, it's okay?" Chase smiles.

Edward glances at me, and then answers. "Yeah, it's okay. In fact, it's a lot more than just okay." When he gets up and walks to the dresser, I ask where he's going. "Getting my phone. I'm calling Judge Peters to see if we can add it to the adoption proceeding."

"Didn't you wake him the last time you called him at home?" I ask, laughing through my tears.

"Don't make him mad, Dad," Michael pleads. "He might change my name to Lester… or Chester."

"All right. All right," Edward acquiesces, holding up his hands. "I'll wait until morning."

The kids stay in our room for another twenty minutes, amusing us by thinking of terrible names for each other. When they finally go to bed, I lie down on my side and close my eyes. Edward turns the light out and lies down beside me.

"Did you know they were gonna do that?" he whispers, sounding emotional again.

"No. They didn't mention it to me beforehand," I answer, reaching over to rest my hand on his chest. I hear him swallow loudly a couple of times before he replies.

"When I showed up here two years ago and found you again, it was the best surprise I ever got," he says. "But this is close, Bella. This is really close."

"I know," I respond. "One of the things I love most about you is the way you love our kids."

"Our kids," he repeats. I feel the bed move as he tries to scoot closer to me.

"That's it, SG," I say with a laugh when his stomach bumps against mine. "That's as close as you can get for now."

"I can still get close," he boasts, cupping my face with his hand. He pushes himself up and leans over me, pressing his lips against mine. "I just have to try a different angle."

I bury my hand in his hair as I chuckle against his mouth. "I recognize that tone," I say warningly. "But I'm so far from being in the mood, I could be in Toledo."

"Hmmm," he murmurs, sliding his lips toward my neck. "You know what I learned in law school?"

"Huh uh," I breathe. My heart is pounding and I'm already panting. Shit. I look like a whale and I'm going to end up having sex with my unbelievably hot, hasn't-gained-any-sympathy-weight husband.

"The power of persistence," he answers. "And the art of persuasion." He pushes himself up as he reaches for my hand. Looking into my eyes, he lifts our joined fingers to his mouth and brushes his lips across my knuckles.

"More like coercion," I laugh. "_Cheesy_ coercion."

"Is it working?" he smirks.

"Yes."

"Then I don't care what the hell you call it, wife," he replies, leaning down to kiss me again. I find that after a minute, I don't care what it's called either.

* * *

"All right, everyone. I'm feeling rather claustrophobic, so let's get this show on the road," Judge Peters announces from his desk. "Would the pertinent parties please step forward? Well, to the best of your ability."

We all laugh lightly as I look around the crowded office. Emmett and Alice have wedged themselves into a corner behind the judge's desk to take video and still photos. Edward's parents and mine are standing right behind us. Rosalie is trying to contain two year-old Paloma and all the Cullen and Whitlock boys in the back of the room. Aro, Heidi, Jake and Nessie, who also insisted on being here, are standing on one side of the judge's desk, while his secretary and the court reporter are sitting in chairs on the other side.

Edward, the kids, and I, who are the pertinent parties, are already standing in front of the desk, but we all move a little closer. As the court reporter types everything into the record, Judge Peters reads Edward's petition for adoption, and then excerpts from the recommendation letters written by Aro, Demetri, and a couple of Edward's law partners. He also notes the social worker's report endorses the adoption.

Collecting all the papers into a neat stack, he looks up at us. "Edward, is it your desire to adopt these three minor children?"

"It is, your honor," he answers.

"Bella, you have given consent and are in full support of Edward's petition?"

"Yes, sir."

He nods at me, then turns his attention to the kids standing between Edward and me. "And, most importantly, you three. You each indicated to me earlier today, privately, that this is your wish as well. Correct?" After they answer yes, he smiles. "Then let's sign these papers and get you people on your way… and out of my office."

We all laugh again as he turns to his secretary and takes the folder she hands him. I sign all the documents first, then step back from the desk to watch the kids and Edward. I take a big breath and blow it out, then inhale sharply when my stomach tightens up.

"You all right there, Bells?" Jake whispers, looking at me with concern. I nod, but it's a lie. I don't feel so great all of a sudden. I've had contractions off and on since yesterday, but this one is much stronger.

I feel my dad at my back. "Lean back, sweetie," he says quietly. Carlisle grabs my wrist to take my pulse.

"I'm okay. It's just warm in here." But I lean back and close my eyes.

"Bella?" Edward sounds panicked.

"Finish," I mumble without opening my eyes. "And then I think we'd better call Dr. Brown."

"But you have a scheduled C-section in four days," Edward says.

"E, never argue with a woman in labor," Emmett laughs from the corner.

"You're gonna have the baby today, Mom?" Chase asks excitedly. "Yes! I'm finally gonna be a big brother."

"Honey, do you really think –," Edward asks.

"_Finish_," I order through clenched teeth.

When I hear the rustling of papers a minute later, I open my eyes. Judge Peters is smiling as he quietly congratulates Edward and the kids, and then he looks at me.

"Congratulations to you, too, Bella. These are the best kind of cases for someone like me who often oversees the dissolution of families," he says. "To see the creation and strengthening of a family makes the other parts of my job a bit more bearable."

"Thank you, sir."

"But it appears you have another event to get to," he chuckles. "So I'd better let you go. Would you like a quick photo first?"

I hang on to Edward's arm as we gather around the judge for the picture. Right after it's taken, another contraction hits, causing me to hiss and lean forward slightly.

"Okay, time to go," my mom announces, beginning to usher people out of the room. I hear her tell Edward that they'll take the kids and wait to hear from us. Carlisle steps out to call Dr. Brown for us, and returns almost immediately.

"Dr. Brown wants you to head straight to the hospital," he advises. "With two previous C-sections, your risk of uterine rupture is elevated the longer you labor."

"So I really _am_ having this baby today," I mutter as we walk out to the hallway.

"I think so," he answers gently, seemingly realizing that I'm pretty close to freaking out. I've never been in labor. My scheduled deliveries have always happened _on_ schedule, not _ahead_ of schedule. "We'll meet you there."

* * *

"You're not going to pass out, are you?" I ask, using my left hand to pull the oxygen mask away from my face enough to talk.

"I'm fine. Leave that on," Edward scolds, taking my hand after I replace the mask. My right arm is immobilized since the IV is hooked up to it. "I wonder if it's some kind of record to go from legally having zero children to having four in one day. I mean without having quadruplets or something."

"Proud of yourself?" I tease.

"Proud of my wife and kids," he answers. I can't see his mouth since he's wearing a surgical mask like all the doctors and nurses, but I know he's smiling.

Suddenly Dr. Brown's eyes appear above the screen stretched over my chest. "Doing okay, Bella? You've got quite a bit of scar tissue, so we're taking our time."

"Is that bad?" Edward asks.

"It's normal. It just takes a little longer to get to baby. But we're monitoring them both and we can go faster if we need to," she answers.

Dr. Brown disappears again, but I can hear her and the assisting doc talking about their summer vacations, their kids, and other random subjects. Edward talks to me a little and the anesthesiologist asks me several questions, but mostly I'm just quiet, taking in the sounds around me – waiting impatiently for the baby's first cry.

"Okay, Bella. You'll feel pressure and then pulling," Dr. Brown announces. "Edward, if you'd like to get the first look, you can stand up."

Immediately, he's up from his stool, still clinging to my hand.

"Tell me," I plead, squeezing his fingers. I feel tears leaking from the corners of my eyes and running down to my temples.

"It's a… it's a boy, B," he says, glancing at me. When I hear his first cry, I laugh.

Dr. Brown holds him up above the screen for just a second so I can see him. "What's his name, Mom?"

"Anthony," I answer, pulling my hand out of Edward's. I lift the oxygen mask away again so I can speak clearly. "Anthony Aro Carlisle Cullen."

"That's a mouthful," she responds with a laugh, handing him off to a nurse.

"He has to match," Edward says, smiling at me briefly. "Long story."

Baby Anthony passes all the newborn tests, and soon the nurse is ready to take him to the nursery for his first bath.

"Dad, you come with me. We'll meet Mom in the recovery room in a few minutes," she orders.

Edward looks at me hesitantly.

"It's okay. Go with him. Go tell the kids and our family," I insist.

He wipes the tears from his eyes as he leans down, pressing his lips against my forehead. "I love you. I love you," he whispers. "I love you so much."

"I love you, too," I answer, reaching for his face. "Go. They're all waiting. Gramps will cry when he hears the name."

"I know, baby. I know."

* * *

**August…two years later**

"Dere's my baby," Anthony says as Edward carries him into the bedroom where I have just finished feeding our fifth – and final – child, Elizabeth Esme Renee Cullen. This pregnancy was harder on my body than the first three and Edward and I agreed that this will be the last.

"Remember to be gentle, buddy," Edward tells him, setting him down on the bed. As I look at the two of them, I smile. Anthony looks almost exactly like Edward did as a toddler. If I hadn't grown him in my body, I would think Edward illegally cloned himself.

"I hold," Anthony says, scooting across the bed toward me and Lizzy. Edward sits down on the other side of the bed. He settles Anthony against the headboard and puts a pillow on his lap.

Sniffling, I lay Lizzy down on the pillow gently.

"Hi, baby," Anthony says in a quiet voice, touching her gently, giggling when she grips his finger.

"She loves you, Anthony. Do you love her?" I ask, dropping a kiss onto his head. Sophie has appeared at the end of the bed with a camera and is snapping photos of Anthony's first time holding the baby. Michael and Chase are coming in the doorway as he answers.

"I yoves Zibby," he says.

"It's Lizzy, honey," I correct. "La-la, Lizzy."

"Ya-ya, Zibby," he tries to repeat. We all laugh and Anthony laughs, too, looking around at us. He loves to be the center of attention and especially loves when his big sister and brothers laugh at something he's said.

"You can call her Elizabeth," Edward suggests to him.

"No, Dada. Zibby," he says, looking sternly at Edward. The teenagers all laugh again.

"Yeah, Dad. It's Zibby," Chase says. I groan quietly and look over at Edward. I have a feeling this is going to stick. He smiles at me and asks Michael to go get Esme or Carlisle from the other room.

"I want a family picture of all of us on the day we brought the littlest Cullen home," he explains when I raise an eyebrow at him. I exhale slowly, puffing my cheeks out, trying to hold it together.

"Oh, no. Mom's getting ready to blow, Dad," Chase says, eyeing me warily.

Edward laughs and reaches over Anthony's head to put his hand on my neck. "She's fine. We're just happy to finally all be home together, right, B?"

I nod, not trusting myself to speak yet. Edward picks Lizzy up when Esme comes in and we all rearrange on the bed to get in the picture. Our big boys don't even grumble about having to take yet another family photo. Once we're done, the older kids offer to take Anthony to the park and Esme offers to hold her namesake so I can nap.

I lie down gingerly on my side of the bed and am not surprised when, a few minutes later, Edward comes in our room and shuts the door.

"How's Mommy?" he asks, dropping to his knees on the floor beside the bed to look at my face.

"Fine. Just an emotional, hormonal wreck. How's Daddy?" I ask, smiling tiredly at him.

"Good. I'm so happy that my girls are finally home," he says, bending forward to kiss my lips gently. "It's not the same around here without you." The week I spent in the hospital before Lizzy was born, plus the three days I spent there after, left Edward home alone with the four kids for ten days. My parents helped. Carlisle and Esme came when Lizzy was born and are staying another week until I can get around a little better. But I know Edward doesn't like it when I'm not here.

"Miss me?" I ask, tangling my hand in his hair.

"Like you wouldn't believe. Baby, please don't leave me alone with the teenagers again," he says, laughing against my lips. I laugh, too, then cringe when I feel the pull across my incision.

"Don't make me laugh," I chide. "Lay down with me?"

"I don't want to hurt you," he says.

"Just keep your hands up top and I'll be fine," I say, sighing as he climbs carefully on the bed and snuggles up behind me, wrapping his top arm around my shoulders.

"Bella, I could not have imagined five years ago that I would have you, have this family, be this happy," he says, his voice thick with emotion.

"SG, if you start crying, there's no way I'll be able to hold it together," I threaten, already feeling the tears gather in my eyes.

He laughs and sniffles behind me. "Okay, I'll stop. I just want you to know that it's still true, Bella. I still couldn't imagine my life without you, without all of our kids. The six of you are more than I ever hoped to have. I love you so much," he says, kissing against the back of my shoulder.

I reach my hand up to grab the arm he's got around me and try to hold the sobs in while letting the tears run down my face.

"Dammit, SG. Quit saying shit you know will make me cry," I say, bending my head down to kiss his arm. "I love you, too. Now let me get some sleep."

"Okay, wife," he says, shifting my hair out of the way to get his face nestled against my neck.

"That's still my favorite nickname," I say, smiling with my eyes closed as I scoot back closer to him.

"I know, baby, I know. Sleep. Zibby will be up before you know it," he says, chuckling into my skin.

"Oh hell. Not you, too," I mutter. But I can't stop smiling.

* * *

**Christmas Eve… three years later**

"Daddy, what means nocturnal?" Zibby asks from the back seat. She and Anthony are in the middle section of the SUV, and all three teens are smooshed into the back. They haven't complained too much, but I know it's because we're on our way to Carlisle and Esme's for Christmas… and presents. I never thought I'd feel this way, but thank God for the cell phones they are all playing on. It makes the three hour drive to Forks much more pleasant for Edward and me.

Edward is patiently explaining to Zibby what nocturnal means. I turn to look at her. She's nodding and I can practically see the wheels turning in her little head. As soon as he's done explaining, she's on to the next question.

"What means plastic?" I'm still looking at her and thinking it's a good thing that the older three kids look a little like me because the youngest two are all Edward. Not a trace of me in their hair, eyes, or faces.

I turn back around and am smiling out the front window until Zibby asks her next question.

"Daddy, what means fuggin' asshole?"

I gasp. The teenagers laugh uproariously in the back, momentarily focusing on something other than texting. I glance over at Edward and he's clearly trying not to laugh, too. I bite the inside of my cheek, but the smile breaks through anyway.

Edward reaches across the console to take my hand. "That's you, sailor," he accuses quietly, glancing at me quickly, his eyes shining with the laughter he's holding in.

"I know," I reply a little snarkily. "But I was talking about _you_." He loses the battle and laughs out loud then while I explain to Lizzy about grown up words and how she should not use those particular words again.

After a bit, it grows quiet in the back.

"They're all asleep. Even the big ones," I whisper to Edward. He squeezes the hand he's still holding and tugs on it a little until I lean over against his shoulder. "What are you thinking about?" I recognize the sentimental look on his face. The holidays always bring it out in him.

"About our first adult date. Remember the night we went to dinner? The first time you took me to Sophia's?" he asks. Of course I remember. It was the night we agreed to take a second chance on each other.

"Yes. What about it?" I reply quietly.

"In the car, we were talking about Nessie, about her name," he says.

"And we both said we'd never give a kid some crazy-ass name," I say, lifting my head to look over at him.

"And now we have a daughter named Zibby," he laughs, pulling our joined hands up to his mouth to kiss my hand. I chuckle with him. "But I wouldn't have it any other way. Life in this family is never boring."

"Is that what you wanted? A life that isn't boring?"

He shrugs, lowering our hands to his leg. "I wanted a life with you."

"I wanted a life with you, too," I sigh, leaning against him once more. "I mean, since Gramps was already spoken for."

He chuckles quietly, then turns serious. "We should probably try to get to L.A. a little more often this year, B."

"I know," I nod. Gramps and Heidi have both had health scares in the last few months. "I talked to Heidi this morning. They're anxious for us to get there next week."

"No, they're anxious for the kids to get there," he argues. "You and I become second-class citizens when they're around. Especially Anthony."

"Especially Anthony," I concur. We're both quiet, lost in our own thoughts for a moment. "We're lucky, Edward. All that we have – the kids, our family and friends. And each other."

"I agree," he says as we pass the Forks city limit sign. "Should we wake them or let them sleep five more minutes?"

"Sleep, definitely," I insist. "These are the last five minutes of peace we'll get until we go home in two days."

Stopped at a stoplight – rather, _the_ stoplight – in Forks, Edward leans down to speak quietly in my ear. "You don't think everyone will stay in their own beds tonight?"

"We can hope," I reply, tilting my head toward him and looping my other arm around his neck.

"We've learned to be creative and quick," he murmurs.

"Uh huh," I agree, pressing my mouth to his. We kiss several times, moving our lips and tongues together slowly, until I pull away.

"It's going to be a long afternoon," he chuckles. He kisses me once more, and then turns his attention back to the stoplight. It's green, so he drives forward.

"Maybe we could offer to go to the store for your mom. She always needs something at the last minute," I suggest, smiling slyly at him.

"That might work, baby," he says, squeezing my hand. "None of the kids will want to go. I've taught you how to be sneaky, huh?"

"You have," I laugh. Turning sideways to face him, I continue. "But you taught me much more than that, Edward. You know that, right? Every day. My life is better because of you every day."

"I feel the same way about you," he answers lowly as he turns onto his parents' street. "Every day."

We're quiet until we've pulled into the drive way and stopped. Smiling, he turns to me and crooks his finger until I lean toward him.

"I love you," he says, then kisses me.

"I love you, too," I answer as I sit back up. "Ready?"

"Ready," he nods. "Let's go."


End file.
